The Twelve Dates of Love
by SailorChibi
Summary: There's a new reality television show about falling in love over the course of twelve dates in just two short months. Yuugi and Yami both have their own reasons for being on the show, but one thing was for sure... they never actually expected to end up falling in lust... or love. YxY, RxB, MxM, SxJ
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters you may recognize from the show. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes.  
**A/N:** Hey guys, welcome to my new story. This is my Camp NaNo story (and yes, I did win, thank you) and unlike last year, I actually like my story turned out. It's not done yet - I don't know how to write short things I guess - but I'm working on it. I wanted to challenge myself in some way and so I decided to try my hand a non-magical AU, since I'm very much an urban fantasy author. I also wanted to try to write a puzzleshipping story where _the focus is on puzzleshipping_. Harder than it sounds, apparently. This will not interfere with my writing of GMA's sequel, relax. And… I think that's it. Okay, now, sit down, pull up a chair, and enjoy.

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_Dear Mutou Yuugi,_

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have been officially selected as the next contestant on_ The Twelve Dates of Love! _As you know, there will be a total of thirteen episodes filmed over the course of June and July 2012, with an additional reunion episode scheduled for early September to see how you and your lover are making out. _

_We ask that you report to Angel City no later than Thursday, May 31__st__. Your wardrobe for the show will be provided but we suggest that you bring casual clothing and anything else you may need during filming._

_ You may bring up to three (3) friends along with you. All hotel accommodations will be paid for and four train tickets have been enclosed. Please note that we ask that you try to avoid contacting friends and family during the filming and that you and your friends will be required to sign another confidentiality clause once you arrive. We also ask that you not draw a significant amount of attention to your appearance on the show until you are given express permission by the producers._

_There will be a car waiting for you at the train station to bring you to the hotel. Please do not ignore the car, as it is there for your personal safety…_

Mutou Yuugi tore his eyes away from the letter and looked up. He didn't really know why he was bothering to read it again, seeing as how he had already memorized every word. "I'm really not sure about this, Anzu," he said, trying and failing not to sound nervous. "I just don't think it's a good idea. Maybe I should write them back and ask them to pick someone else."

"No!" Mazaki Anzu practically lunged across the counter and grabbed the letter out of his hands. Her eyes flew over the page greedily, drinking in the information. "Yuugi, this is _perfect_. It's just what you need to get some experience with dating."

"I don't need more experience," he said patiently. "I've had all the experience I could want." There was a very slight hint of bitterness to his voice that Anzu didn't seem to notice. She was too busy studying the train tickets with a wistful look.

"I wish I could go with you," she said with a sigh.

"Yeah, well, you have your ballet classes and besides, you've already got a boyfriend." He reached over and tried to ease the letter out of her grip. A short tug-of-war ensued when Anzu pouted and tried to hang on, but finally Yuugi pulled the paper away, folded it up and slipped it back into the envelope. "Look, I appreciate the fact that you went out of your way to put my name in, but I wasn't really expecting to be chosen. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to leave Jii-chan for so long."

"It's only Angel City," Anzu pointed out. "You'll only be a couple of hours away if something goes wrong." She studied him for a moment. "Come on, Yuugi. I think this will be good for you."

"Are you saying that because it's true or because you feel guilty?" he asked absently. As soon as he saw the stricken look on her face, he felt guilty. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I shouldn't have said that."

Anzu attempted a smile. "You have every right to be angry with me. I suppose in some way you're right. I do still feel guilty. But I also think that this would be an excellent thing for you to do and I've have pushed you to do it anyway. Even if it turns out that you and your co-star don't fall in love, what is it going to hurt, really? You get twelve free dates out of it, plus a couple months in Angel City, plus you get the opportunity to get some new dating experience. You're twenty-one years old and you've only ever had one girlfriend, Yuugi. At the very least, maybe you'll get some perspective."

He didn't bother pointing out that he didn't really want any so-called perspective. Instead, he looked back down at the envelope. When Anzu had first brought up the idea of him applying to be a part of the new dating show that everyone was talking about, he'd thought she saw joking. Even when she sent in his application, he'd been sure that the producers would take one look at his picture and cast him aside. Instead, this letter had shown up less than a week later, followed by a phone call from someone who worked for the show. The man, who introduced himself only as Shadi, seemed inordinately pleased that he had been the one to get the part. It was surreal and part of him kept expecting someone to jump out of the bushes and yell "haha, just joking!"

The thing was, it really _would_ be an interesting opportunity. Just for being on the show he would receive a sum of ten thousand dollars, and he'd been promised a substantial bonus if the reception to the show was good. That kind of money could do a lot repairs to the Kame Game Shop. Or it could help pay for a year at college. He chewed his lip indecisively, genuinely torn. On the one hand, he really didn't see how anyone could be interested in having weak, little Mutou Yuugi be the co-star of a television show, and he was a little concerned that his 'date' might be disappointed. But on the other hand, when would he ever get another chance like this?

Anzu must have seen something change in his face, because she gave a squeal of joy. "Does this mean you're going to do it?"

"Yes, alright, I'll do it," Yuugi said, unable to keep from chuckling. "Besides, I've already asked Jou, Malik and Ryou to go with me, and I think Jou would knock me out and drag me there unconscious if he had to. He's psyched about being close enough to visit Shizuka-chan for a month and a half."

"I wonder why they're letting you bring three friends." She picked up the envelope and turned it over thoughtfully, as though the bottom would yield answers to her query. "It's very nice of them but it seems unusual. This is supposed to be about the chemistry between you and your co-star. And I wonder if she'll be bringing friends alone as well?"

He successfully concealed the frisson of anxiety that shot through him and shrugged. "I don't know. Frankly, I don't care. There was something about group dates mentioned in the original package I was sent. If that's the case, it's just as well that they're not expecting me to interact with strangers and pretend like they're my friends." Just the thought of doing so made him uneasy.

"It works out well for you," she remarked wryly. "You four haven't been separated for more than a few hours since Malik moved here. I'm not sure how you would survive that long apart."

Yuugi glanced at her for the comment, but chose not to respond. He knew that it had always bothered her a little that Yuugi, Jou, Ryou and Malik had formed such a close-knit circle. Sometimes she felt left out, especially since she and Malik didn't get along. But it was never something that they talked about. There were certain things between them that were better left unsaid, and this was one of them. Instead, he busied himself with talking to a couple of customers that had found their way into the store, and by the time they left, Anzu had recovered and was smiling again.

"You'll text me, won't you?" she said.

"Of course. I probably won't be able to tell you anything about the show, though." Unlike most reality shows, none of the episodes were being broadcast until they had all been filmed. He wasn't sure why, but one of the stipulations had been his agreement to keep his presence on the show a secret from as many people as possible. The only people who knew where he was really going were Anzu, his grandfather, and the three friends he was bringing along with him.

"That's okay." Anzu shrugged and ran a hand through her hair, revealing long, dangly earrings. Yuugi looked at them for only a moment before he turned his face away, hiding the twinge that ran through him as she said, "I guess I better get going. I have a class in twenty minutes."

"Have fun," he said.

She gave him a shrug and a coy little smile - Anzu _always_ enjoyed her ballet classes - and was out the door before anything else could be said. Yuugi wasn't disappointed to see her leave. He looked down at the envelope again and sighed, wondering if it was truly a good idea. He'd had his heart broken once and he wasn't looking forward to ever having the process repeated. Maybe it would be better to go in with the desire to make a new friend instead of expecting anything more. Yes, he could definitely do that. What man couldn't do with an extra friend who was a girl?

**YY**

"You're absolutely _sure _you want to do this?"

"That's the fifth time you've asked me that, Seto. And for the fifth time, my answer is no, but I have to. You know what will happen if I don't."

Kaiba Seto folded his arms and sighed as he watched his younger cousin fiddle with the plane tickets that he'd been sent. When this idea had first come up - and, as most things were, it had been proposed as a joke that swiftly took on a life of its own - he'd been dubious at best. The crowned prince of Egypt going on a _dating_ show, and in Japan of all places? It sounded like a disaster waiting to happen and he'd been put off by the idea immediately. But his cousin had always been good (too good) at talking him into things, and somehow, here they were, getting ready to leave.

"I just think it's a bad idea," he said.

"You've said as much about twenty times, Priest. Unless you have something new to contribute to the conversation, why don't you shut it?"

"Bakura, I'm _warning_ you…"

"Both of you knock it off." Prince Atemu of Egypt glared at his friends in the mirror. "Seto, you're getting yourself all wound up for no reason. Bakura, you're not helping. Mariku, the point is to wear normal clothing, not things that will get me arrested. Stop switching my clothes around."

Mariku smirked and set the chain down, leaning back on the bed with a casual stretch. "At least it will be more interesting than hanging around here," he pointed out.

"Yes, because my goal in life is to keep you amused," Atemu muttered. Putting aside the fact that one of his goals in life was, in fact, to keep Bakura and Mariku distracted so that they didn't try to set things on fire, he was actually relieved that his three friends had been granted permission to come. Of course, it hadn't been difficult to get; the producers for the show had been so excited at hearing that an actual prince (a "real live prince", as they put it) wanted to be on the show in the first place that he could have asked for anything and he probably would have gotten it. They hadn't even minded waiting until the show was completely filmed before any episodes were broadcast.

"I just hope you've thought this through," said Seto, like he knew exactly what Atemu was thinking. Probably he did. Seto was annoying like that.

"I've been over this with you several times, Seto. My father is insisting that I marry before I become Pharaoh." Atemu's jaw tightened. It was an argument he'd had with his father several times over, but the man stubbornly refused to budge. Atemu believed that he could rule Egypt perfectly fine on his own, but his father was of the opinion that he needed a Queen to be a good ruler. Bearing in mind that Atemu had no longer had any interest in women, he was fully prepared to take a husband if he could just find the right person. That was proving to be more difficult than he'd expected and he had no idea how he was going to find someone in just a few short months.

Of course, as had been pointed out to him numerous times already, he could marry anyone in order to assume his position on the throne. This was the modern century and divorce was not unheard of. But he had made a promise… and he intended to keep it. Atemu gritted his teeth and stood up. This show was a last-ditch effort for him to find someone who would not be interested in him purely for the fact that he was going to be the Pharaoh of Egypt. Furthermore, it had been pointed out to him that his people might be more supportive of his reign if they were able to see him acting like a regular person, which meant he had to give it his all.

"Just kill me now," he said.

"Sorry, it's our job to prevent that," Mariku said with another smirk, rolling off of the bed and springing to his feet. "Look at it this way, Atemu. You go. You try. You come home and people feel sorry for you. Your father bows to public pressure and gives in. Everyone gets what they want."

The chance of his father actually giving in wasn't high, but… "When you put it like that, it doesn't sound half bad," he admitted. There were other positive points to the experience, after all. He hadn't been out of Egypt for ages, and he couldn't remember the last time he had gone somewhere incognito. People were always so desperate to know him, to be friends or more with him, and he had long ago closed himself off to anyone but his three friends. Life was just easier to live that way. The idea of being an average man for even a few weeks was strangely inviting, even if it didn't result in love.

"So we're going?" Bakura said. He wasn't overly enthusiastic about the idea of leaving Egypt. But he was completely on board with getting Atemu to loosen up a little.

"Yes." Atemu gave a decisive nod, appreciating that the others had indulged him with his temporary uncertainty and not brought attention to the fact that the contracts had already been signed. He looked down at the envelope on his dresser and the four first class plane tickets lying on top. Where would they lead him? Unconsciously, he fingered the slender ring that he wore on his right pinkie finger, twisting it around. Wherever this situation took him, he was going to be ready for it.

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Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I'm so glad that some people were actually interested in this story. I was a little apprehensive about posting a non-magic AU but it seems that you guys are willing to stick with me and for that, you do have my thanks! For anyone who is unfamiliar with my posting schedule, it's once a week on Friday, and believe me when I say I do my absolute best to stick with that - I don't think I've missed a Friday yet. Enjoy!

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The train station was bustling with people by the time that Yuugi, his grandfather and his three friends arrived. Jou was fairly humming with excitement while Ryou and Malik just seemed to be tired, which made sense considering how early it was. Yuugi was a little sleepy but, admittedly, he was feeling more excited than anything else. He had been to Angel City before, as his grandfather had a few good friends who they'd gone to visit with in the past, but this would be his first time going without Sugoroku. And it was certainly the first time he was going with the intent to meet someone. On television.

"Good god, what am I doing?" he muttered with a shake of his head, any excitement rapidly draining away to be replaced by a frisson of nerves. The one saving grace about this morning was that Anzu had an early morning class and couldn't make it.

"Yuugi?" Sugoroku's hand fell on his shoulder and he twisted around to meet his grandfather's concerned gaze. "If you want to change your mind, now is the time. There's nothing wrong with deciding that you would rather pursue dating in a more… traditional way. I'm sure the show would understand." He arched an eyebrow. He'd been uncertain about the show from day one, but like always, he had tried his best to be supportive in whatever his grandson wanted to do.

"No, Jii-chan, I'm going to go. I said I would and I will. Besides, we've already checked our luggage." He attempted a smile, though it came out as more of a grimace than anything.

Sugoroku studied him for a moment longer before smiling. "Alright, you know best. Here, I got this for you." He pressed a small wooden box into Yuugi's hands.

"A present? You didn't have to – _Jii-chan_!" A mortified flush spread quickly, turning Yuugi's face a stunning shade of pink. There were things in the box that he didn't even want to know _existed_, much less that his grandfather had gone out and bought with them for the sole purpose of Yuugi using them. "What… where on earth did you get this stuff?"

"You just have to know where to look," said Sugoroku, deeply amused as his flustered grandson shoved the box into his backpack. He doubted that Yuugi would ever open the box again, but every last cent was completely worth it just for the chance to see the look of utter embarrassment on Yuugi's face. "I know that you're not going into this expecting the relationship to end up going anywhere, but I thought that it would be helpful if you were ready for anything." He grinned. "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Is there_ anything_ you wouldn't do?" Yuugi muttered, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. Thank god Ryou, Malik and Jou weren't paying attention. Jou and Malik in particular would never let him hear the end of it if they saw what was in the box.

"Not really," Sugoroku said modestly, not bothering to go into a full explanation of all the fun he'd gotten into during his youth. "You'd better get on the train, Yuugi, or you'll miss it. Don't forget to call me as soon as you get there and make sure you exercise caution in whatever you choose to do."

The pink flamed back into Yuugi's face at the extra meaning that was deliberately pushed into those last few words. "_Goodbye_, Jii-chan," he said through gritted teeth, giving the man one last hug that lasted for about two seconds before he all but ran in the opposite direction. Sugoroku's laughter followed him as he hurried through the gate and over to where Ryou was waiting for him beside the metal detector. His friend raised a curious eyebrow as Yuugi approached.

"Something wrong?" he asked with a faint smile.

"No," Yuugi said sulkily, throwing his bag down on the counter and hoping to god that what his grandfather had given him wouldn't show up on the screen. Because if it did, he was going to have to kill the man, and he was pretty sure that his excuse – however valid it might be – probably wouldn't hold up in court.

Ryou raised an eyebrow but seemed to realize that pushing the issue wasn't a good idea. They collected their bags on the other side and walked out onto the platform, where Jou and Malik were waiting. The train was just pulling into the station and once the other passengers had gotten off, they got on, finding four seats together towards the back. Yuugi sat down next to the window with Jou beside him and Ryou across from him, with Malik beside Ryou. Malik curled up and went to sleep against Ryou immediately, who just gave a sigh and bore the weight with his normal good grace. Jou pulled some of his duel monsters cards out of his pocket and began shuffling through them, trying to see if he could guess which card was going to come up as the train pulled out of the station. After a while, he turned to Yuugi and held them out.

"Pick a card," he instructed.

"Jou – "

"Come on, Yuugi, pick a card!"

Yuugi sighed and took a card reluctantly. He wasn't surprised to see that it was Jou's favorite card, the Red Eyes Black Dragon. "Alright, what now?"

"I'm going to see if I can guess what it is." Jou stared at the back of the card intently. The train slowed and came to a stop to let more passengers on and off, and his head snapped up, all thoughts of the game forgotten. "Are we there yet?"

"No, Jou. It will be a while yet," Ryou replied, pulling a book out of his bag. Unlike Jou and Malik, he had no real reason to be going to Angel City. He didn't relish the thought of being on television (actually, the idea was somewhat horrifying) and he had been abroad so many times that traveling had lost its excitement. He would have much preferred to have spent the next few months at home, earning some badly needed extra money. But when Yuugi had asked, it had been impossible to say no. Ryou studied his friend over top his book, noting the weary lines written across Yuugi's face. The shorter boy was stressed out already and it was only going to get worse.

Malik shifted next to him and poked an elbow into Ryou's side. "Stop moving," he mumbled.

"I'm not going to stop turning the pages of my book just for you, Malik," Ryou said with exasperation. Malik was_ so_ not a morning person and having to get up at 5:00am just to catch the train had apparently nearly done him in.

The blond just mumbled something sleepily as his phone beeped. Since he made no effort to get it out of his pocket, Ryou finally sighed and reached over to fetch it. He tilted the screen to read it and saw that it was from Isis. "Isis wants you to know that if you do anything in Angel City to make her or the rest of your family look bad, she's going to kill you."

"So I've heard," Malik muttered, a slow smirk spreading across his face. Isis hadn't been too pleased when Yuugi had asked him to come along; she much preferred to keep her little brother at home where she could watch him. There had been a few occasions where Malik had gotten himself into a little bit of trouble, nothing too serious, but enough to make her want to keep him under lock and key. Malik, on the other hand, had promised to behave, but whether or not he would actually follow through was a whole different story.

"You better be careful, Malik. I've seen Isis angry before. It's not a pretty sight," said Jou, giving up on and taking the card back. He slipped it back into his deck and glanced at Yuugi with a wicked grin. "So, what do you think your co-star will look like, Yuugi? Do you think she'll be blonde, brunette, or maybe a redhead?"

"Does it matter?" Yuugi asked wearily, shoving a blond bang out of his eyes.

"Well, yeah. This'll be a lot easier if you're sexually attracted to each other."

Yuugi flushed and shot his friend an annoyed look. "I'm not sure what you're expecting to happen, Jou, but I'm certainly not having sex on national television. Or inferring that I'm going to be having sex. And besides, it won't matter. I doubt that anyone who is interested in those kinds of things is going to be on the show in the first place, much less that they'll be interested in someone like me."

Jou just stared at him, eyes narrowed. "So… you're hoping for a blonde, then."

"_Jou_!"

"What? It's not against the rules to hope for someone hot. Personally, if I were you…" Jou pushed back against his seat like he was trying to recline. Unfortunately, the chair wouldn't go back, and all he really succeeded in doing was pissing off the woman behind him when the movement jostled her forward and she spilled her drink down her front. Undeterred by the vivid swearing coming from behind him, Jou put his feet up against the bottom of Malik's chair and smiled dreamily. "I'd be hoping for a really smoking blonde. Long hair, big eyes… preferably blue or green… and a really fantastic body. Bonus if she likes wearing tight things to show it off."

Ryou shook his head and fought back an amused smile. "I hardly doubt someone who looks like that would need to be on a dating show, Jou."

"You never know! Look at Yuugi. He's going on a dating show."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuugi demanded.

"You're adorable, Yuugi, and you know it, even if you pretend that it pisses you off. You have big eyes that are purple, no less, and you're short but you're not too small. It helps that you know how to wear clothes that show off your best assets." He looked at Yuugi's baggy jeans and t-shirt and made a face. "Well, sometimes you do. And your hair gives you a bit of height, too. Plus it's three different colors so you wouldn't clash with anyone." He tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "Well, maybe a redhead, since you've got those violet tips."

There was a vein throbbing above Yuugi's left eye. Why the hell had he agreed to bring his friends along again? Or better yet, why hadn't he just done the intelligent thing and turned the stupid show down in the first place instead of accepting their offer? "Call me adorable one more time, Jounouchi Katsuya, and I'm tearing up the ticket that will get you home."

The taller blond grinned, recognizing the tone that meant he was close to pushing his best friend past the breaking point. Torturing Yuugi really shouldn't be as much fun as it was. "I'm just saying, I think that if you knew how to put yourself out there you wouldn't need to be going on this show, either."

"I _don't _need to be on the show," Yuugi said tersely, rolling his eyes. "Anzu sent my name in."

"You could have turned it down."

"I could also push you off of the train, and since I'm sure you'd like me to exercise some self-restraint in that area, please quit while you're ahead!" He pointedly turned his whole body away so that his back was facing Jou. One of the few perks of being small was that he could curl up into the chair without it being overly uncomfortable, as long as he tucked his knees in against his chest. He stared resolutely out the window.

Jou winked at Ryou, who hid his grin in his book, and returned to shuffling his cards. Project Divert Yuugi From Being Nervous By Pissing Him Off was a success. Sometimes being the best friend meant having to be the bad guy, but fortunately Jou was just the man for the job. He stayed quiet after that, watching as first Ryou drifted off, his head gradually coming to rest on top of Malik's, and then Yuugi, who slumped forward so that his forehead ended up cushioned against the glass of the window. Even though it was early, Jou wasn't that tired, and he'd always had a hard time falling asleep in public, anyway. He remained awake during the rest of the journey, entering into a tranquil state of calmness that most people probably wouldn't have believed he knew about, much less could achieve.

The train pulled into the station a couple of hours later and he stood up, throwing his arms over his head in a stretch, before pulling his cell phone. He sent a quick text to his sister to let her know that they had arrived before he leaned over and poked Yuugi in the shoulder. It only took a couple of more pokes before Yuugi opened an eye and growled at him. Jou merely smirked and woke Ryou and Malik up in a similar manner. Their side of the train was facing the station, and he paused, staring in curious amusement at the sight of a man carrying a white sign with the word "MUTOU" written across it in capital, block-shaped letters.

"Think that's for us?" he asked, pulling their overnight bags down from the overhead compartment.

Yuugi made a strangled sound in his throat that may or may not have been a yes and stood up shakily, reluctantly picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. This was it. _This was it_. There would be no turning back once he got off of the train. Thank god there were no cameras at the station, because he was pretty sure he was going to throw up. He took a deep breath and followed his friends outside, looking hesitantly in the direction of the man patiently waiting for them. A long, sleek-looking limp had been pulled up to the curb beside him and Yuugi could see someone else in the driver's seat. His stomach twisted.

"Maybe…" he began.

"Hey!" Ignoring whatever Yuugi had been about to say, Malik marched over to the man. "You're waiting for us? Good. You can go get our luggage. It's all under Mutou."

"Are you Mutou Yuugi-san?" The man asked, surveying Malik with a cool look.

"No, I am," Yuugi said, biting his lip. "These are my friends, Jounouchi Katsuya, Ishtar Malik and Bakura Ryou." He pointed to each of them in turn and then pulled the envelope containing his letter from the show out of his pocket. The man took it and skimmed the contents before asking for I.D. Yuugi handed over his wallet, which contained his driver's license, and waited patiently while the man carefully scrutinized the picture. Honestly, Yuugi thought crossly, did he really think that just anyone would actually want to steal a ride? Anyone who was sane would be running in the opposite direction.

"Very well. Please get in the car, Mutou-san, and I will take care of your bags." The man opened the back door and stood aside while the four of them climbed in. Malik immediately began investigating the different options the car had to offer, from the separate heating and cooling unit, to the little window that kept them from the driver, to the little mini-fridge that had been well stocked with almost every kind of drink imaginable.

"No alcohol," he observed, sounding disappointed.

"Of course not. For all they know, some of us might be underage," Ryou told him. "Besides, you promised Isis that you would behave yourself, Malik. Don't tell me you're going to go back on your word already."

Malik pouted and leaned back, crossing his arms. "Having a drink isn't breaking my promise," he said defensively. "I just don't want this trip to be boring, that's all."

"How about we get to the hotel before we decide whether it will be boring?" Ryou slid past him and opened the mini-fridge again, perusing the contents. He finally select four bottles of juice, two orange, one apple and a grape, before closing the door and passing them out. Yuugi accepted the bottle of apple juice reluctantly, his expression thoughtful as he twisted the cap off and took a long drink of the tart liquid.

"Do you guys really think I can do this?" he asked softly, running his fingers along the label.

"Yuugi." Jou reached out and slid an arm around his shoulders. "All joking and teasing aside, I honestly don't think you give yourself enough credit. What happened with Anzu was rough, yeah, but you can't let it keep you from ever trying to go out with anyone. And don't try to tell me that you haven't had offers. What about that from our class? Shimane?"

"Or that girl who worked for your grandfather for a while," Malik chimed in. "She was head over heels for you, Yuugi, and I _know_ that you noticed. But you just kept pretending that you were oblivious and after a while she gave up." He shook his head, mildly aggravated at the thought. "What a waste."

"The point is," Ryou said gently, "is that this is a way for you to see that relationships aren't all bad. I'm not expecting you to go in there and fall in love, Yuugi. I don't think anyone is, except for the producers of the show, and since they're the ones who came up with the idea I don't think you can really trust in what they think. But you might be able to have some fun, and in the end, even if you just walk away with more experience and a better idea of what you want in someone than you had before, there's nothing wrong with that."

"But what if they don't like me?" Yuugi's voice came out very small, and his fingers tightened around his bottle. The flash of anxiety in his eyes wasn't faked.

Ryou sighed. Out of their group, he felt that he could best understand where Yuugi was coming from. Jou and Malik had never had the problem of being self-conscious about their appearances; Jou was a tall, blond demigod and Malik could be sex on two legs when he wanted to be. It was sometimes difficult to be around the two of them without letting insecurity take over. Ryou had been teased for a long time about being too "girly", which was what happened when you were below average height (he couldn't really think of himself as short when Yuugi was around), slender and pale with longer hair, and he knew that Yuugi had suffered more than his fair share of comments, too. Things like that didn't just disappear, much as Ryou would have liked them to.

"If she doesn't like you, then you just accept that and move on," he said quietly, trying not to think about how much experience he had in _that _area. Yuugi was fortunate, in a way. He didn't have as much to go on. Ryou never would have had the guts to accept the invitation to be on the show no matter who had sent his name.

"Thanks Ryou," Yuugi said, giving him a small, understanding smile. "Actually, I wanted to thank all of you. I know it was kind of a pain coming here with me."

"What are you talking about? A free trip and a chance to see Shizuka almost every day for a month and a half?" Jou beamed and threw himself backwards against the couch, nearly causing Malik to drop his bottle of grape juice. The shorter blond glared at him and gave him a slap upside the head that made Jou yelp.

Yuugi laughed. "I guess when you look at it that way, it doesn't sound quite so bad," he said with a chuckle.

Though he was smiling as well, Ryou couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. He never would have said as much to Yuugi, and he made sure to keep all of his anxiety hidden, but he was worried that his friend was going to come away from this with yet another negative experience that might turn him off dating altogether this time around. Yuugi was not innocent, far from it, but he could be a little naïve sometimes. Ryou just prayed that whoever they had chosen to pair Yuugi up with would be someone that was understanding and careful when it came to his friend's heart, or otherwise, this might end in disaster.

**YY**

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

Jou's jaw was hanging down so low that it was frankly amazing he hadn't dislocated it yet.

The woman waiting for the four of them on the front steps of the hotel was, to put it simply, gorgeous. She had long, golden blonde hair that had been artfully curled to hang in a stylish waterfall around her shoulders. Her generous breasts were contained by a white tank top underneath a violet cardigan, which concealed just enough cleavage to keep the line between classy and slutty from being crossed. Slender hips had been enclosed by the tightest, shortest violet skirt that any of them had ever seen, and it only seemed to help that her long legs were accentuated by a pair of three-inch white heels. Kohl-lined violet eyes peered into the limo as the car glided up to the curb, and then a manicured hand reached out and opened the door.

"Mutou Yuugi?" The woman asked. Her voice was low and husky. Jou made a whimpering sound when she flashed them a brilliant smile.

"Y-yes, that's m-me," Yuugi stuttered.

"Great! I've been waiting for you for the past twenty minutes. We're a little behind schedule so if you could hurry up and get out of the car…" She took a step backwards and Jou practically climbed over Malik in his haste to be the first one out. Malik rolled his eyes and got out next, and Yuugi and Ryou exchanged amused looks as they followed.

"I'm Yuugi," said Yuugi as Ryou placed a calming hand on Jou's arm.

"It's wonderful to meet you." She shook Yuugi's hand enthusiastically, causing her breasts to bounce a little. Jou nearly passed out. It was possible that he actually began to drool. Malik surreptitiously slipped his cell phone out of his pocket and started to film the minor convulsions caused when the woman straightened up, thrusting her shoulders back and her chest out.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Yuugi asked. "Are you my co-star?"

She laughed. "No, no, I'm Kujaku Mai, one of the producers for the show," she explained, whipping a pair of dark sunglasses out of her purse and sliding them over her eyes.

"Yes!" Jou hissed, practically knocking Yuugi over in his rush to thrust his hand into Mai's face. "Jounouchi Katsuya. Pleasure to meet you."

Mai arched an eyebrow and looked down at Jou's hand for a moment before she grasped it. Her grip was stronger than he had been expecting. "I assume you're one of the friends," she said, releasing his hand quickly and turning back to Yuugi. "We were beginning to wonder if you would get here in time. Like I said, we're a little behind schedule so if you could come with me…" She spun on her heel and walked up the stairs. Jou darted after her and it wasn't hard to guess where his eyes were trained.

The hotel was expensive; Yuugi could tell that just from the lobby. Everything was top of the line and he didn't see a single person wearing an outfit that would have cost less than a couple hundred dollars. He paused briefly in the doorway, wishing that he'd worn something fancier than just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and then had to hurry to keep up with Mai's long strides as she walked across the room towards the elevator. She hit the button and stepped inside, gesturing for the four of them to enter.

"We've reserved the top floor for the crew and the eight of you," Mai explained, hitting the button for the 14th floor. "You have two rooms allotted for you four so you're going to have to share." She pulled four keycards out of her pocket and handed them to Yuugi. "Do_ not_ lose these. They're your key to everything in the hotel, including whatever food you want from the restaurant or room service, and if you lose it then you're going to have to spring for a new one. I don't think I need to tell you how much it would cost." She smirked. "Now, your luggage has been brought up to the rooms already so you can decide who sleeps where later. Your co-star's room is at the other end of the floor and we ask that you don't try to get a sneak peek no matter how curious you are. We want the first meeting to be on film and it has to be completely genuine."

"And when will that be?" Malik asked curiously.

"At dinner," she replied. "We've reserved the hotel's restaurant for 7:00pm. Make sure you're down there for a quarter to just in case and please wear what's been left for you." She studied each boy thoughtfully and then nodded. "In the case that your outfits don't fit, you can call me and I'll have something else taken up to you. Make-up will be by at 5:00pm. Be ready."

"Make-up?" Jou snapped out of his daze and gave her a horrified stare. Her response was a wicked smile.

"Of course. If you went on television looking like you do, you'd be so pale that people would think you're a corpse. You want to preserve this lovely tan, don't you?" She reached out and drew a single finger down Jou's slightly tanned arm. Jou choked a little. "Don't worry. I've warned them to go easy on the make-up. We want you to look natural, not like you've been made up to go out on the town. Fortunately your looks are pretty distinctive…" Once again, she looked them over and this time gave a satisfied nod. "There shouldn't be too much problem. I think this could work out nicely."

The elevator doors swung open and Mai stepped out, turning right. She went all the way down the hall to the very end, where she took a keycard back from Yuugi and swished it through the reader. When the light on the door flashed green, she pushed the door open and flipped the light on. Yuugi's jaw dropped. The room was enormous, easily twice the size of his bedroom back home, and had two king-sized beds in the middle. There was a balcony on the far side of the room that looked out over the town and the sea beyond. A kitchenette with a refridgerator, microwave and coffee maker was to the right of them, and a door that presumably led to the bathroom was to the left. Dazed, he stepped forward and touched one of the comforters, inwardly marveling at the soft, plush texture.

"We're staying here?" he said, throat suddenly dry.

"That's right. Now, one last thing…" Mai reached into her purse and pulled out a cell phone, which she gave to Yuugi. It was sleek and modern, with a small purple eye symbol on the back.

"I already have a cell phone," said Yuugi.

"Yes, I know, but this one has several numbers pre-programmed into it, including my number and that of a driver," she explained. "Don't worry about the cost; it's been fully paid for and includes an excellent texting plan, though we're expecting you to not abuse it and you'll be returning it before you leave. You're getting the same perks as your co-star." Something strange flickered across her face when she said that, but it was gone too fast for Yuugi to identify it. "The show unexpectedly received a bigger budget than they were expecting. Consider it a bonus and make sure you don't lose that, either, or they'll have both our asses."

"Okay, thanks." He flipped it open and watched as it powered up immediately. Sure enough, when he entered the Contacts List, there were several numbers already inside, including one for Kujaku Mai. He made a mental note to keep the phone far away from Jounouchi. He doubted that Mai would be thrilled to have several texts from Jou asking for dates.

"There's some documentation on the table that you'll have to read over and sign. Essentially it prevents you from giving details about the show before it has aired, including the outcome, and restricts you from doing anything illegal or that might reflect badly on us." She paused and eyed each of them individually. "All of you will be required to sign papers stating that we're allowed to use anything we catch on camera, so I suggest you compose yourselves accordingly. You wouldn't be the first people who forgot themselves and I can assure you that the editing crew is rarely generous when it comes to cuttings things out." A beeping sound came from her purse and she pulled out a Blackberry. "I'll leave you to it, but stay in your rooms for today. Don't explore the hotel until after the initial meeting."

"Thanks," Yuugi said again, though he wasn't sure that Mai was actually listening to him. She was already halfway out the door by the time that he realized she was finished giving them instructions. He closed the door behind her and looked down at the cell phone in his hands. A nervous exhalation caught in his throat as he turned back around. They had the whole afternoon stretching ahead of them, empty and endless, and he wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to keep himself from jumping out the window before 6:45pm rolled around. "Alright, who's sleeping where?"

* * *

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews. I know this story had a bit of a slow start but it was necessary (these past three chapters were all one chapter, if you can imagine - I ended up with great big 15k chapters while writing and I'm breaking them up now as I edit them). I hope this chapter makes up for it - it should, it's the one that made me realize just how high the rating would go. Enjoy.

Taiyouno Yami = Dark(ness) of the Sun.

* * *

By 5:30pm, it had been agreed that Ryou and Malik would take the (equally stunning) room next door while Jou and Yuugi shared the first. The make-up people had come and gone, leaving them to get dressed in their outfits, which turned out to fit perfectly. Yuugi looked at himself in the mirror, studying the tight-fitting dark jeans and the casual, violet button-up shirt he was wearing to match. His shirt was the exact color of his eyes, and between that and the dark kohl that his make-up artist had insisted on, his eyes looked ready to pop. They hadn't changed his hairstyle, fortunately, and really except for a few additional accents, he looked like himself. That was good. Meant that when his co-star started running, he would know he had only himself to blame.

"Christ," he muttered, washing his hands and drying them carefully. He pulled the door open and looked at Jou, who was lying on the bed watching television. The blond had been given jeans similar to Yuugi's, though they were a little looser, and a green shirt that made his pale brown eyes look gold. His hair had been styled into a casual mess, and on the way out, the make-up artist who had fought with his hair for almost an hour threatened him with castration if he touched it before he went on camera.

"You ready?" Jou asked, turning the television off. Yuugi jumped.

"Yes," he said. Well, squeaked. His voice was much high-pitched than normal and he swallowed hard, realizing that his hands were actually shaking as he walked over and fetched his shoes: middle-of-the-line, dressy but still casual enough to be worn with jeans. A far cry from the beaten up sneakers he had been wearing when they arrived.

Ryou and Malik were both waiting for them in the hall. They, too, were wearing jeans, though Ryou's were white. His hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail and he was wearing a deep blue button-up shirt with the top two buttons left undone. He kept fiddling anxiously with the gap even as he smiled. "Hey, Yuugi. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Yuugi muttered, eyeing his friends. Malik was by far the most comfortable in his clothing. Of course, he usually wore more revealing clothing than the lavender muscle shirt and blue jeans he was currently wearing. Yuugi envied Malik's casual grace as the tanned blond sauntered nonchalantly down the hall towards the elevator and wished that he could borrow a little of it for the night ahead. He was extremely aware of the fact that in less than two minutes, he was going to have a set of video cameras shoved into his face, and after that they wouldn't be leaving him alone for six weeks.

The trip down the elevator seemed to take forever, but at the same time, it was over far too soon. Mentally cursing Anzu with every beat of his heart, Yuugi stepped out and pretended not to notice that there was a camera practically right in front of him. A woman who had come by with the make-up artists had given them strict instructions when it came to ignoring the cameras. The first rule of television, she had told them importantly, was to never look directly into the camera unless the director explicitly called for it, but the second rule was that they weren't supposed to look down at the floor, either. Be natural, she'd said. That was easier said than done. He awkwardly looked over the man's shoulder at the door to the restaurant, his heart pounding. This was it.

"Cut!" a familiar voice called out. Mai hurried forward, bringing with her a skinny little man with strange glasses. "Alright, Haga, get the four of them wired up," she ordered.

Haha leaned forward and began plucking at Yuugi's shirt. "This microphone costs a lot of money," he said, his sour breath washing into Yuugi's face with every word. "Don't touch it. Don't touch fiddle with it. Forget that it exists unless you're at risk of breaking or otherwise destroying and/or harming it, at which point I'll remind you that it costs more than you make in a month. And do remember that it picks up on every word that you say."

Yuugi's jaw snapped shut and he gave a tight nod. Haga made one more adjustment and then stepped back, handing him the little box that would be clipped onto the back of his jeans. He snapped it into place and then tugged his shirt down over it. The box felt uncomfortably warm against his spine and he was suddenly very conscious of the fact that everything he did and said was being monitored and would someday be seen by a hell of a lot of people. He tried not to feel dizzy as Haga moved on to prepping Ryou, Malik and Jou, giving each of them one of the same little black boxes.

"We'll do a sound test," he told Mai, walking towards the back of the room.

"So Yuugi, you ready?" Mai asked.

"I think so," Yuugi replied, wishing that he had the chance to get a drink of water. He also wished that he had ripped that paper up into shreds the moment that it arrived.

"We're clear!" Haga called.

"Great. Remember, you guys, be natural," Mai told them, ushering them forward to the entrance of the restaurant. She touched her earpiece and muttered something under her breath. "Alright, Yuugi, your co-star's name is Taiyouno Yami. You'll know who he is when you see him." A smirk curled her lips. "Go for it." She gave Yuugi a gentle push towards the door before his brain could scramble enough together to ask,_ him_?

The restaurant of the hotel was large and airy and open, with plenty of empty seats drawing attention to the group of four people clustered in the middle of the room. Yuugi stumbled forward on legs that didn't want to work right and found himself trying to take in everything at once, which had the simple effect of preventing him from taking in anything at all. Colors were a blur until he was right beside the table and someone, a foreign someone, was standing right in front of him. Then a hand was taking his, cool and firm, and shaking it. He looked up and blinked.

Taiyouno Yami, as he assumed that was the name of the man holding his hand, was a few inches taller than Yuugi. Instantly, he understood the reason for Mai's smirk. Though the two of them looked very different in other ways, they had similar hairstyles: both sported peaks of black tipped in color (though Yami had gone for crimson as opposed to violet) and gold bangs. Yami, however, had a lot more gold in his hair, reaching up into the black. His eyes were an exotic crimson, his skin tanned from the sun and covering lithe muscles, and a confident smile had fallen across his full mouth. He was dressed similarly to Yuugi in dark jeans and a crimson shirt that matched his eyes, but somehow what Yami was wearing seemed to be so much… _more_.

"Hello," he said, and Yuugi got the feeling that it wasn't the first time Yami had spoken. His voice was deep and low, just shy of being a true baritone, and husky. He could have listened to that voice for a long time. "Are you Mutou Yuugi?"

"Y-yes," Yuugi stammered, inwardly cursing himself. And Anzu. And the crew of this damn show. "I mean, yes, I am. Are you Taiyouno-san?"

"Yami, please," said the man with a duck of his head and a warm smile. "These are my friends, Seto, Mariku and Bakura." He nodded at each person as he spoke their names.

Seto was tall, even taller than Jou, with dark brown hair tinted with auburn. His eyes were pale blue and wary, arms folded like he was expecting an attack at any moment. He was the only one not wearing jeans, and over his pale blue shirt, he was wearing a long jacket that flared out around his waist. Bakura and Mariku were around the same height. Mariku had dark blond hair threaded with gold and the same tanned skin as Yami. Deep, dark eyes peered out at them from underneath heavy bangs as he smiled wickedly and tugged at his dark top to reveal a flash of tanned stomach. Bakura's hair was a pale shade of grayish white that stood out against his dark skin, and there was a scar on his cheek, though it did little to detract from his overall attractiveness. He was wearing jeans and a vest that cut so low it was evident he wore nothing else underneath. All in all, the four of them were an extremely attractive bunch and Yuugi didn't need to look at his friends to know that all of them were feeling suitably overwhelmed.

"I'm Malik, and this is Jou and Ryou," said Malik, perhaps sensing that Yuugi's ability to talk had temporarily left him. He folded his arms and tilted his head. "Are we going to sit down or are we just going to stand here all night?"

"We'll sit down," said Mariku, eyeing Malik with evident interest. Behind him, Ryou put a hand to his head in a universal "oh no" gesture. "_You_ can sit beside me."

Yuugi looked back at Yami and realized the taller man was staring down at him. "I guess we should sit down, too," he said, relieved that he'd finally gotten a sentence out. It occurred to him, somewhat belatedly, that he was still holding onto Yami's hand. Blushing furiously, he let go and hurried over to the table. Yami sat down beside him, which made sense, but did little to help him be less flustered.

There was a ninth, empty chair at the head of the table and for a moment there was an awkward silence during which everyone just looked at it. Then Mai stepped into the room and strode over to the table, sitting down gracefully and crossing one leg over the other in a way that made Jou swallow hard. "Well, that went fabulously," she said with a broad smile, seemingly oblivious to the camera zooming in on her face. "Now that you've met, I'll be able to explain how things are going to go.

"As you know, there will be twelve dates over the course of about six weeks. Each date will equal to one episode of the show. Yuugi and Yami, you will both have the opportunity to plan two dates. One at the beginning of the experience and one at the end. I'll let you know later on when exactly you will be planning your dates. Don't worry, thought, we won't make you plan the very first one." She smiled a little. "There will also be three group dates that your friends will be joining you on. The rest of the time, your time is your own, but remember that because the crew is sharing the floor with you there may be cameras around. Conduct yourself accordingly." Was it Yuugi's imagination, or did Mai look meaningfully at Yami when she said that?

"These group dates," Ryou ventured, "What will we be doing?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you," Mai replied, tapping her chin with a violet nail. "Each date is meant to be a surprise, but I promise you it will be nothing too dangerous."

"Are we allowed to interact outside of the dates?" Yami asked.

"Yes. We're not keeping you imprisoned. We encourage it, actually, but try to remember that the viewers want to know how your relationship is_ developing_. This show is more than just having fun and getting to know each other. We want the heat, the_ passion_, to be captured on screen, be it good or bad." Mai leaned forward intently and Yuugi couldn't help shrinking back. Being trapped in that gaze was making him understand how a rabbit felt when cornered by a lioness. "Save all of the good stuff for the cameras."

It was probably pointless to hope that his face wasn't the bright shade of pink that he figured it was. "Right," he said, and then because there didn't seem to be anything else to say, he said it again. "Right."

"Glad you understand. I'll leave you to your dinner, then." Mai beamed at them and stood up gracefully. "We've taken the liberty of ordering dinner for you. When it comes time for dessert, we'll ask that you move to your individual tables so that you can have some private time."

Individual tables? Yuugi looked around as Mai sashayed away and noticed that four tables had been set up near the windows. Each one had been decorated with a specific color scheme: red, green, blue and yellow. He realized that he and Yami would be sitting together and hoped the fact that his hand was shaking slightly as he reached for his water glass wasn't evident to everyone. Jou's fantasy of a "smoking hot blonde" wasn't so far off. Yami was one of the most gorgeous people Yuugi had ever seen. What the hell was a man like that doing on a television show for dating? Why hadn't he been snapped off the market already?

His imagination went haywire in a matter of seconds. As the waiters appeared and began serving them plates of food, Yuugi wondered what was wrong with the man sitting beside him. Was Yami not gay (and why had he been paired with a man, anyway? Just what had Anzu written on his application form?)? Did Yami already have a lover (was this a ploy designed to break Yuugi's heart?)? Had he just broken up with someone (did_ Yami_ break people's hearts?)? Maybe he had a horrible personality (though with an outward appearance like that, even Yuugi would be hard-pressed to care about what on the inside). He watched Yami out of the corner of his eye as he picked at his food. It was even possible that Yami was secretly a pedophile or had some horrible criminal past that no one else knew about.

By the time their food was taken away and he stood up with the others to relocate, Yuugi was seriously contemplating calling it quits. His heart rate only increased as he sat down across from Yami and found himself staring at the man. Gods but Yami was breathtaking. Yuugi had found a fair share of men and women beautiful in his life; if he was being honest he'd never been overly picky when it came to gender. But Yami was on a whole other level. He squirmed uncomfortably and picked up his glass of water, hoping that the liquid would help to cool him off. Never in his life had he ever been attracted to someone as quickly or as thoroughly as he was at that moment. Which was why he just had to open his big mouth.

"Are you a pedophile?"

To his credit, Yami didn't spit his mouthful of water out, though he did arch an eyebrow. Carefully, he set his goblet down and said, "How did you come to that conclusion?" Fortunately, he sounded more amused than upset.

"Sorry," Yuugi said hastily, realizing that the question had likely come across as pretty rude. "I was just… you're so… Why would someone like _you_ be on a dating show?"

Yami smiled. "I have my reasons, but I'm pleased to let you know that they don't involve children in any way."

Yuugi flushed and looked down at the confection that had been placed in front of him. It looked something like pudding, though he suspected it had to be more than that. He was very aware of the cameras as he sheepishly said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to… to infer anything. I just…"

"It's alright, Yuugi. I'm a little nervous, too," Yami confided. "It's weird knowing that everything you do is being filmed."

"And your every word recorded," Yuugi muttered, touching the lapel of his shirt. Across the room, Haga's head popped up and he began making wild gestures at Yuugi, who stuck his tongue out in return. Yami laughed and Yuugi glanced at him, surprised, before offering a shy smile. "So what do you do for a living?"

"I don't do much at all right now. I'm between jobs, I guess you could say," said Yami, taking a small spoonful of the pudding. "My father would like me to take over the family business, but…" He let out a short breath and shook his head. "I'm not really sure that's going to end up happening, and he would be very upset if I didn't."

"I know how that is. My grandfather wants me to take over his game shop when I'm older."

"Do you want to?"

Yuugi blinked and looked at his companion with a curious tilt of the head. He couldn't remember ever actually being asked if he wanted to take over the game shop. Most people, even those who didn't know him or his grandfather that well, just automatically assumed that he would want to take over the family business; it never seemed to occur to anyone that he might not want to. Even his friends seemed to think that way. "I'm not sure," he admitted, surprised by his own honesty. "Sometimes I think that I would, but then there are days when I think that I'd like to do something else. What, I don't know, since I spent my whole life thinking that I would own the game shop, but…" He trailed off and shrugged.

Yami nodded thoughtfully and their conversation moved on from there while they finished their dessert. It was mildly interesting, and there was no denying that Yami was attractive, but Yuugi was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. He hadn't realized how hard it would be to try and get to know someone when you knew that the footage might later be watched by countless other people, including family and friends. It made him very conscious of every word that he said, with the result that he wasn't as friendly and didn't share as much as might have otherwise. He had the feeling that Yami was the same way.

The problem, of course, was that neither of them wanted to share anything too personal, so their conversation remained centered around lighter topics like their families (Yuugi had only his grandfather, while Yami had his father and a cousin), what they did for fun (games, in Yuugi's case, and as it turned out, the same for Yami), and how good the dessert was. Eventually their talk stalled and they just sat there in silence, staring at each other, until the man touting the camera grew bored and moved away to film the others.

"I don't know about you, but I feel really awkward," Yami confessed, keeping his voice quiet so that the cameras wouldn't realize they'd spoken. For the first time that evening, he looked less than completely composed. "This is harder than I thought it would be."

Yuugi giggled and then covered his mouth. "Me too. I thought that this show was silly from the start and now it seems to be even more so."

"Well, it can't be all bad," replied Yami, a smirk dragging at the corner of his lips. "I got the chance to have dinner with someone as beautiful as you."

_Oh my god_. Yuugi _knew_ he was blushing. Some people could get comments like that and brush them off, but he was not one of them, especially when it was flawlessly delivered by someone like Yami. He stared down at the table, wondering what he was supposed to say. "Yami, I - "

"Asshole!" The exclamation cut Yuugi off, and both he and Yami looked up just in time to see Jou dump what remained of his fancy pudding onto Seto's head.

"Jou!" Yuugi and Ryou exclaimed together in perfect unison.

"Bastard!" Jou yelled one last time, turning on his heel and storming out of the room. Malik took one look at Seto and started laughing. His date, Mariku, was also grinning widely, and so was Bakura. Yami put a hand to his head and sighed. Yuugi and Ryou exchanged distressed looks before Ryou went into action.

"Come on, you," he said, grabbing Malik's arm and hauling the blond up. From the looks of it, Seto wasn't above punching someone at the moment and he wanted Malik out of the way.

"I'm sorry about this," Yuugi mumbled.

"It's no problem. I expect it was more my cousin's fault than your friend's." Yami glared at Seto. "Thank you having dinner with me, Yuugi. Do you think we could meet sometime tomorrow? I'd like the chance to speak to you when the cameras aren't around."

"Sure. I'll meet you in the lobby at around noon, is that okay?" Yuugi waited for the other man to nod before hurrying out of the room. He paused long enough to give his microphone to Haga before going straight up to his room, where Jou was pacing wildly around the beds, face flushed with anger and hands gesturing wildly as he ranted. Ryou and Malik were sitting on Yuugi's bed, watching his antics with increasing amusement. Yuugi closed the door and put his hands on his hips. "Jou, what was that? You do realize that the cameras caught all of that, right?"

"Sorry, Yuugi, but you should have heard what that asshole was saying." Jou clenched his hands to fists. "He called me a puppy!"

Malik laughed out loud. "Well, if the shoe fits…"

"Alright, you two, knock it off," Yuugi said before Jou could retaliate. He sat down on the end of his bed and stared at the floor, feeling warm. The dinner had not gone as badly as he'd expected, but nor could he say that it had really gone well, either. "What about you guys?"

"Bakura was nice," Ryou said mildly, which was his way of saying 'I refuse to gossip about it'.

"Mariku was hot. He and I are going out tomorrow," said Malik, sounding pleased by the prospect. "Apparently they've been here for a few days and he already knows a great club. What did you think of Yami, Yuugi? Do you think that there's a chance something could happen between the two of you?" He looked genuinely curious.

Yuugi stared at him for a few seconds before responding as honestly as he could. "You know what? I have no idea."

**YY**

Once the cameras been packed up, the rest of the microphones rescued by Haga, and the crew were gone, Atemu stood up and folded his arms, giving Seto his best 'I am not impressed' look. It was times like this that he wished he was taller, because even when Seto was seated they were nearly the same height, and that was just annoying. Regardless, he said, "I thought when we came down I'd have to keep an eye on Bakura or Mariku. I wasn't expecting to have to make sure you were behaving too, Cousin."

Seto scowled and made another swipe at his face. Sticky chocolate was oozing down the back of his shirt. "He overreacted, Atemu."

"Yeah, 'cause you're just_ so_ easy to get along with it," Bakura said sarcastically, leaning back in his chair. "You're just jealous that he spent the whole time eyeing up Mai instead of paying attention to you."

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

Atemu just shook his head, knowing that Bakura was more than likely entirely correct, and leaned back against the table, thinking about Yuugi. He had been… surprised… to see the little one when Yuugi walked into the room. Surprised and yet, admittedly, pleased. Yuugi was beautiful in a classical sense, with pale skin and enormous violet eyes, the kind of boy who would have been a rarity in Egypt. Needless to say, he was also the kind of boy that appealed to Atemu's tastes in every way. Naïve, perhaps, but not innocent to the point of being absurd. Intelligent, but not a show off. Amusing and cute, but not to the point of annoyance. He'd never taken a lover like Yuugi before - those he had consorted with in the past had been experienced – but he found himself intrigued by the thought of how Yuugi would taste, how he would sound, what he would look like… and he knew he wanted to find out.

Mariku looked at him with a knowing gaze. "Found something you like after all?"

"Maybe," Atemu said calmly, refusing to give anything away in spite of the fact that his three friends could usually read him like a book. "I'm not here for conquests, Mariku, unlike you. Unless I see this going somewhere, and it's far too early to determine that, I doubt that I will do anything with Yuugi. He deserves more than that."

There was a skeptical look in Mariku's eyes, but he knew better than to argue with his Pharaoh. Instead, he turned back and began teasing Bakura about having a crush on the boy he'd been dating. Atemu was just as glad that the attention had been taken off him. Truth be told, he wasn't altogether sure that he would be able to keep himself away from Yuugi, regardless of whether _something more_ was on the horizon. Just a few hours alone with the boy had awoken a craving that he had never experienced before… but he was wholly interested in learning exactly how to satisfy it. And as a prince, Atemu had always gotten what he wanted.

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Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, everyone. I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to respond to anyone this weekend but holy hell I have been flat out for the past week. I did have one thing I wanted to address; it was noted that I draw heavily on both the anime and the manga when it comes to my stories, and that includes things like appearances, such as Yami having crimson-tipped hair and Yuugi having the violet. This is true and I freely admit that; I'm sorry if it bothers anyone but having read the manga and watched the anime, the details are blurred in my mind. I like taking select details from both, anyway. So try to keep that in mind. Enjoy!

P.S. - welcome to the chapter that made me realize how high the rating on this story would go.

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The next morning, Yuugi woke up with sticky sheets and boxers, a burning face, and a deep, newfound appreciation for the fact that Jou slept like a rock. He crawled out of the bed and, after fixing the covers so that his mess wouldn't be readily obvious, stole into the bathroom, where he firmly closed and locked the door behind him. God, he was acting like a teenaged kid. One dinner with Yami and he already had a full-blown crush on the man! Not to mention several spectacular wet dreams. He rubbed his hands over his cheeks and sighed, staring into the mirror. The last time this had happened, it hadn't ended well, and that had been with one of his friends. Was he really going to repeat the experience with a complete stranger?

"Going home sounds better and better," he muttered, hoping into the shower. A cold shower. The purpose of this show was to make him and Yami fall in love, and he had never been more aware of that than he was right at that moment. He wasn't sure about the love part, but all sources were certainly a go when it came to the in lust part. At least he had confirmation that his libido hadn't shriveled from lack of use.

Shaking his head, he got out and dried himself out, then quickly styled his hair. He didn't know what would happen today, but the thought of seeing Yami again and spending one-on-one time with the man made him feel giddy. A few select parts of his dream drifted across his mind as he yanked a shirt on and he ducked his head, flushed, half-hard already. Okay, maybe a little more than giddy. But it was pointless to think that anything would ever happen between them. Yami was… well, there were no words to describe him. And Yuugi was himself. That right there pretty much said it all about any chance he might have. So why exactly had the producers paired them together again?

"Oh right, they must be into cruel torture. Dangling an apple in front of me and forcing me to suffer through the knowledge that I'll never get to have it. This show isn't about falling in love, it's about sexual frustration!"

"Yuugi?"

Yuugi froze, suddenly realizing that he had been ranting out loud. "Sorry, Jou. Go back to sleep," he said, keeping his voice as low and soothing as possible as he stepped back into their room. He hadn't mentioned his lunch with Yami to his friends, and he knew that if Jou woke up fully, he'd be facing endless questions.

"Mm… where you going?" Jou's voice was heavily slurred, a good indication that he was still half asleep. Excellent. Swiftly, Yuugi crossed the room and stood beside the bed. He reached out and gently pushed Jou back down until the blond was flat on his back. Heavily lidded honey brown eyes stared up at him curiously as a sleepy smile formed on Jou's face.

"Go back to sleep," Yuugi repeated, waiting patiently until the inevitable occurred and Jou's eyes fluttered shut. Within moments, the blond's breathing became deep, giving Yuugi the opportunity to slip away towards the door. He eased it open and stepped out into the hallway, closing it behind him with the softest of _clicks_. Malik's and Ryou's door was still shut; it was likely Ryou was already up and about for the day, but like Jou, Malik had a preference for sleeping in whenever possible.

Yuugi leaned against the door and let out a sigh, shaking his head ruefully. One date with Yami and he was already a mess. What would happen if things continued in this vein? "I have to get a grip. There's no way that Yami would ever be interested in someone like me," he told himself sternly, pushing away from the door. He walked down the hall towards the elevator and hit the down button. "The most I could hope for is that Yami might want to be friends. People like him do not like people like you, Mutou. Get used to it."

The doors swished open, revealing a couple of young girls who gave Yuugi odd looks when they realized that he was talking to himself. He smiled sheepishly and hurried into the elevator once it was empty. It was highly tempting to ram his head into the smooth mirrored walls in an effort to knock some sense into himself, but he resisted the temptation. Knowing his luck, he would end up knocking himself out. Instead he took the time to make sure that his hair and clothing still looked alright. Even if nothing happened between him and Yami, that didn't mean he couldn't look nice.

There didn't seem to be anyone around from the show when he got downstairs. The noticeable lack of cameras was a relief. Yuugi checked his cell phone and realized that he still had a good ten minutes until he had to meet with Yami. He wandered into the lobby area and looked around. Once again, he couldn't help noticing that he was definitely the most underdressed person in the room. No one was wearing overly fancy things, but it was the quality of their clothing that drew his attention. How on earth had a television show just starting out in its first season gotten such a large budget?

A hand rested on his shoulder, disrupting his train of thought and sending a blaze of tingly warmth down his body. A gust of breath slid past his ear as a deep voice spoke, a hint of teasing evident in the tone. "I was waiting for you out by the pool. Were you trying to leave without me?"

Holding back a shiver, Yuugi smiled as he turned around. "Maybe," he said. Anything else he might have been about to say died a quick death when he caught sight of Yami, who was wearing another pair of tight jeans and a shirt that gaped attractively at his neck, revealing a gold-linked chain that added an extra depth of warmth to his tanned skin. He was wearing rings, too, Yuugi noticed, just two, one on his left pinky finger and the other on his right ring finger. Both were simple and understated. It was odd. He'd never liked rings on a man before, but Yami made them look classy.

"Well, if I can persuade you to join me, I've got a cold drink calling your name."

"Yes, please," he said fervently. Maybe the icy drink would help to cool him off. Yami turned and led him out to the patio, and Yuugi's eyes were drawn straight to the way that the man's jeans hugged his ass. Yeah, and maybe Jou and Seto would fall in love. God he was so screwed.

Yami had gotten them one of the tables near the pool, but far enough away that they could speak comfortably without worrying about being overheard or splashed by the overzealous kids doing cannonballs into the water. As promised, there were two fresh drinks already waiting for them. One was a deep, cool blue, the same color as the sky, with two cherries and a purple umbrella lining the glass, and the other was a pale green with an orange wedge and a yellow umbrella. Yuugi sat down and Yami pushed both drinks closer to him.

"You can try them and see which you like better," he explained. "I like both, so you can pick whichever one you want."

The blue one tasted like the sharp burn of alcohol and Yuugi made a face. Though he wasn't averse to drinking, and had participated in more than one fun night with Jou, Malik and Ryou, he preferred more subtle drinks. The green one proved to be more to his taste, with a soothing, sticky sweet green apple taste. He sucked on the straw happily and gave the blue one back to Yami, who grinned and reclined in his chair with the drink balanced on his knee. They sat like that for a while, enjoying the sun and relaxing, until finally Yuugi spoke.

"You're not from around here, are you?" he asked.

"How did you come by that conclusion?" Yami said, tensing slightly.

"You called me by my first name without asking if you could," Yuugi replied, pulling his straw out of the icy drink and dragging his tongue along it. Was it his imagination, or was Yami staring at him? "Not that I mind, but most people don't do that. Plus you don't really look Japanese."

"Neither do you."

"No, I don't. I get that from my father's side of the family." There was American blood in the Mutou family, coming from both his great-grandmother and his grandmother. His father had also had violet eyes, and the unusually dominant gene had been passed onto Yuugi. "I was born and raised here, though."

"Well, you're correct. I'm not from around here. None of us are. We're all just here on vacation and the show seemed like a fun way to kill some time," Yami told him. "We're from Egypt."

"Really?" Yuugi smiled. "Malik and his sister are from Egypt."

Yami looked at him sharply. "They are?"

"Yeah. But they haven't been back there for a while." Yuugi pushed his straw back into his drink. Malik never spoke about Egypt and what he'd gone through while he was there, but Yuugi knew it hadn't been a pleasant experience for him. The blond had mentioned, just once, that he never really wanted to go back, and when Jou had asked him why, Malik gave given them all a strange, sad look and told them that he wanted to feel safe. Implying, in other words, that he _didn't_ feel safe in Egypt. They had dropped the topic after that. He sighed and changed the subject. "So what's your family like?"

"Well, there's just my father and me, my cousin, and my uncle," Yami answered, seizing the change in topic gratefully. "My mother died when I was a baby. I don't think she ever really recovered after she gave birth to me and it hit my father pretty hard. He really loved her." He was silent for a moment, staring off into the distance. "I don't look very much like her. Sometimes I wish I did."

Yuugi felt a rush of sympathy that he quelled. "What about your cousin and your uncle?"

"My cousin, you already know him. Seto. He can be kind of a jackass, which your friend already discovered and I apologize for that, by the way."

"That's okay," Yuugi said, unable to stifle his grin at the memory. Though he'd been annoyed at the time, looking back it was pretty funny. He didn't know Seto, but the man had looked just like a cat that had been drenched by water after the pudding bath. "I'm sorry that Jou dumped pudding on him."

"A memory I'll never forget," Yami said solemnly and a moment later, he caught Yuugi's eye and they both burst into laughter.

"Okay," Yuugi gasped, turning his face away and fighting to get his breath under control. "What about… oh god… your uncle?"

"Hmm." Yami was still smiling, but his amusement noticeably faded at the mention of his uncle. "He's Seto's father, as you probably guessed, and he's… well… he's alright."

"You don't like him?"

"He's difficult to get along with sometimes." Yami's voice was very quiet, nearly indiscernible from the noise around them. He stared at his drink, avoiding Yuugi's eyes. "Seto is very much like him. Occasionally I worry that if Seto didn't have us, he might become too much like his father." He sighed and lifted his head. "Tell me about your family and friends, Yuugi."

"Well… like I said last night I live with my grandfather. My father left when I was young and I don't remember him that well. My mother and I moved in with my grandfather after that. He needed help looking after things and it was just easier, I guess." He drummed his fingers on the side of his glass, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. "My mother… she's not around anymore. She was in a car accident last year."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yami said softly. Yuugi knew that he'd drawn the wrong conclusion, but he made no effort to correct Yami. Sometimes it was easier to let people think that his mother was dead instead of telling them the truth. So he merely nodded and continued.

"My three best friends are Jou, Ryou and Malik. You already know Jou has a short temper. He's always been a pretty physical person." He smirked a little. "But he's very loyal and smart. Ryou is pretty quiet, but he sees things, understands things that no one else does. I think it's because he listens so much. And Malik, well, there's not much I can say about him. You kind of have to see Malik to believe him."

Yami chuckled. "He sounds like an excellent match for Mariku."

"If that's so, I'm not sure whether I should be worried or relieved." Yuugi drained his glass and set it aside. There had definitely been alcohol in it because he wasn't feeling quite as tense as before. "I have other friends that couldn't come with me, of course, but that's about it."

"No girlfriend?"

"I wouldn't really be on this show if I did, would I?" Yuugi said, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I suppose not. So no boyfriend then, either."

"No." Just a lot of butterflies squirming away in his stomach. He squeezed his eyes shut quickly and then looked up at Yami, hardly daring to ask. "And you?"

"I don't have anyone, either."

Something about the way that Yami said that made his chest hurt. "Well, if you play your cards right, you could have someone soon," he mumbled, cheeks flushed. "I mean… I bet once this show goes on the air you'll have all kinds of fangirls knocking on your door."

"I'm not interested in fangirls. I have plenty of those already, both boys and girls and to be honest I've have to struggle to maintain even a passing interest in the latter." Yami paused and their eyes met, crimson holding violet spell-bound. "Could I have you?"

It felt like all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs. "W-what?"

Yami smiled lazily. "The purpose of this show _was_ supposed to be for us to fall in love."

"O-Oh. Right." Great and now his heart was pounding like a jackhammer. He wished he could look away. It felt like Yami could see straight inside of him, including the bits that he normally kept hidden, away from prying eyes. "I… I don't know. I guess that depends on if you wanted me."

"I wouldn't be too concerned about that," Yami murmured, finally blinking. It seemed to break the spell and Yuugi glanced away hurriedly. "From what I've seen so far, you seem like a very nice person."

"Um… thank you." He swallowed hard, feeling unaccountably flustered, and took a deep breath. Okay, so they had established that neither of them would object to a relationship. Good. Great. His head was spinning and he knew he needed to move the subject onto safer waters for a while. "My grandfather used to be an archeologist. He told me wonderful stories about Egypt and I've always wanted to go there." He dared to look up again, though he avoided staring straight into those captivating eyes. "Will you tell me about Egypt, Yami?"

If he was surprised by the request, Yami didn't show it. He started to talk about everything from the beauty of the Nile, to the soft golden sand, to the pyramids to the markets to the palace. He spoke about the culture, the nightlife, the Pharaoh and the young prince, the people, everything. And Yuugi sat there and absorbed every word, hardly even noticing when a waitress approached and put two more drinks in front of them. At one point, he closed his eyes and let Yami's voice wash over him, painting a wonderful picture of an exotic life that was both similar and foreign, like an artist painting on a canvas. He hadn't been lying when he said that he'd always wanted to visit Egypt. Japan may have been his home, but there was just something about that land that called to him, and Yami was doing an impeccable job of feeding that desire.

He opened his eyes again and looked across the table. Yami's cheeks were flushed, crimson eyes animated, his hands making small gestures as he spoke about his favorite Egyptian food. If Yuugi hadn't known better, he would have guessed that Yami had completely forgotten he was even there. It was cute, really; their 'date' the night before had been filled with such stilted, awkward conversation that he was truly enjoying the chance to see Yami being himself, without worrying that someone else might be listening. He found his eyes lingering on Yami's lips, and the unbidden thought of what it would be like to kiss Yami flashed through his mind.

"Yuugi-kun! Yami-san! Here you are!"

Yuugi jumped and Yami's words died away, the cackling energy surrounding them becoming dull and flat as they both turned to look at Mai. She didn't seem to be perturbed by the less than warm welcome and smiled widely at both of them.

"I've been looking for you two for the past half hour," she went on, plunking herself down in one of the available seats. "You'd think with your distinctive hairstyles, you would be a little easier to find."

"Did you want something, Mai?" Yami asked impatiently.

"I wanted to talk to you two about your next date, of course. Now, it will be taking place on Monday evening at 6:00pm. We've reserved one of the local restaurants so it will be just the two of you, no need to worry about any nosy eavesdroppers. A car will pick you up and drive you separately to the restaurant, since we can't have you arriving together." She gave a little laugh. "I'm glad you two are getting to know each other a little but remember to save most of it for the cameras. This is a show about you falling in love. We want to catch as much of your relationship on film as possible."

"We'll keep that in mind," Yuugi muttered. It may have been Mai's job to talk to them about these kinds of things, but the obvious enjoyment she got out of it was irritating.

"See that you do. The other thing on my list was to speak to you about the individual dates you'll be planning. Yami, yours will be on Tuesday, June 12th, and Yuugi, yours is on Saturday the 16th. In between your date on Monday and the one next Tuesday, you'll have a group date to help make sure you're comfortable around each other. If you need help planning your dates, we'll be on top of it."

Yuugi felt his heart sink at the thought of having to plan a date. Where on Earth would they go? From the sound of it, Yami had traveled a lot, as he'd compared Egypt once or twice to various other locations. What could he plan that would be fun for someone like Yami? What if he picked something that was boring? "Do we _have_ to plan the dates?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, it's part of the fun," Mai said with a wink. "Also, in the interest of making sure that you keep it for the show, I'm going to ask that you two not spend any time together tomorrow."

"That's fine," Yami said shortly. "I have business to attend to that will have me outside of the hotel for most of the day, anyway."

Mai nodded. "Excellent. I believe that's it, but do keep your phones handy in case an emergency pops up." She set two phones on the table. Yuugi instantly recognized one of them as being the phone that Mai had given him the night before and realized that he must have left it up in the room without thinking. He wasn't used to carrying two phones around; it had been instinct to just grab his own and go. "I don't mind tracking you down once or twice but anything more and, well, you know."

"Thank you." Yuugi took his phone and put it into his pocket. Mai continued to sit there for a moment and it made him uncomfortable. Gone was the warm, affectionate Yami who had been regaling him with fascinating stories of his homeland. The man sitting across from him was stony and silent, face set in a calm, polite mask that didn't give anything away. It was like looking at a stranger. A hot stranger, granted, but a stranger nonetheless. He really wished that Mai would take the hint and leave.

"So how are you doing?" Mai asked suddenly. She was looking at Yami. "Are you enjoying the show?"

"There hasn't really been very much for me to base judgment on, but yes, so far everything appears to be alright."

"If you need anything, you have only to ask."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

"Is there anything I can get you now?"

Yuugi couldn't keep from rolling his eyes. For a woman who was supposed to be encouraging a relationship between Yami and someone else, she was sounding very interested in Yami's welfare. And while Yami was one of the "stars" of the show, she was completely ignoring Yuugi. He was torn between being amused and being annoyed. Because while Mai was exceptionally pretty, Yami had all but said that he was gay, and it didn't look like there were any sparks between them. Almost as though he knew what Yuugi was thinking, Yami caught his eye and shot him a smirk before facing Mai.

"No, Mai. I assure you that if either of us have need of something, we will let you know. That is, after all, why you gave us these cell phones, isn't it?" Yami nodded at the phone on the table, which he had yet to touch. "Now if you don't mind, since Yuugi and I won't be able to see each other tomorrow, I would like to spend as much time with him as I can right now. Alone."

"Oh. Right." A slow smile spread across her face and her eyes took on a knowing glint. "Right, well, I'll just leave you two alone then. Have fun, but not too much." She stood up and slung her purse over her shoulder before sashaying away.

"Sorry about that," Yami said once he was certain she was truly gone. "I should have gotten rid of her sooner but…" He gave a helpless shrug.

"It's alright," Yuugi replied. "She seems to like you."

Yami made a face. "Spare me. Like I said, I'm not interested in girls, and even if I was, Mai is exactly the kind of woman I'm trying to get away from."

"She doesn't seem to be that bad."

"Not on the surface. But I can see it when I look at her, lurking beneath the surface… She's exactly like the others." There was something dark in Yami's voice, his eyes, at that moment.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Yuugi said slowly. He was almost afraid to find out if Yami saw the same thing in him.

"My family has a fair amount of money and I've had a lot of people trying to get close to me just so that they can use me," Yami told him, still sounding unsettled. His gaze was distant and he was staring at a point somewhere over Yuugi's right shoulder. "After a while you almost get to develop a third sense about whether or not people are going to try and use you." He sighed. "I think Mai would probably be one of those people. She knows about my position and when I look at her, I see hunger in her eyes."

Hearing that Yami came from money was really not that surprising. Yami carried himself in a certain way, and the clothing and jewelry he wore was definitely expensive. Yuugi traced his finger through a ring of condensation left by his glass. "I can understand how you feel, sort of."

"Really?" A speculative eyebrow was arched.

Yuugi gave him a Look. "Yes. You think that you're the only person who people try to get close to just for fame or money?" he countered, more amused than offended. "When I was in high school, I used to participate in duel monster tournaments. I was crowned the best in Japan last year." He smiled smugly at Yami's surprised look. "I've had my fair share of people who were looking to get close to me for less than altruistic purposes, Yami. I might not have a lot of money, but fame can do weird things. People who used to ignore me before couldn't get enough of me. It was hard to deal with at first and a lot of the hype has died down, but I expect this show will bring it back in full form. So don't doubt that I know exactly what it's like, because I do."

Yami looked at him thoughtfully. "If you're good at duel monsters, do you want to battle? I'm pretty sure I could give you a run for your money."

That was the last thing Yuugi was expecting. His violet eyes went wide and he sat up straighter. It was rare that Yuugi got the chance to battle someone new. When most people heard who he was, they backtracked so fast they left a dust cloud in their wake. Sure Jou was always willing to duel with him, but even though the blond was getting better he would never be at Yuugi's level of expertise. He scanned Yami, looking at the other man for the first time through the eyes of an experienced duelist. And he liked what he saw.

"You're on," he agreed, excited at the thought of a new challenge. "Now?"

"Regrettably, no. I have to prepare for those meetings tomorrow." Yami made a face, clearly not pleased by the thought of spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon indoors. "On Monday. We'll have dinner and then we'll have a duel."

"Sounds like the perfect date," Yuugi giggled. "Bye, Yami." He stood up at the same time as Yami, knowing that there was no point in sitting out here by himself. Even though they'd spent a few hours together, he was surprised to find himself wishing that Yami didn't have to go soon. He'd been having fun, and time had been flying by. "I'll see you Monday. Bring your best game."

"I intend to," Yami promised, stepping closer to Yuugi. When there was only an inch or two of space left between them, he bent his head and kissed the shorter boy's cheek. What was supposed to be a quick brush of the lips ended up lingering against the pale skin for far longer than was normal. "Good-bye, Yuugi."

Yuugi's mouth went dry and any response he might have otherwise formulated completely fled his mind. He stood, struck speechless, as Yami winked before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Slowly, his hand rose and he touched his cheek where Yami had kissed him. It wasn't the first time he'd ever been kissed, not by a long shot: he had had a steady girlfriend for a while, after all. But it was the first time that such a simple kiss had made him feel so strongly. His stomach was dancing and he felt a little breathless.

"This is so not good," he muttered, dropping his head into hands. "Not good at all."

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Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Alright, I have to confess that I'm ridiculously pleased with the response to this story. I sincerely wish I could give every one of you a big hug because y'all are amazing! I can tell that some of you are a little suspicious of Yami and I'm not sure whether this chapter is going to make that better or worse. I guess we'll have to see… Enjoy!

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Yuugi spent most of Saturday night and Sunday exploring the hotel and Angel City… and doing his best to avoid persistent questions about Yami. Malik in particular was deeply curious but Yuugi fended them off, resolutely changing the subject every time. He wasn't ready to talk about Yami. Whatever was happening between them -_ if_ there was anything that was going to be happening between them - was too new to be spoken about to anyone. Fortunately, after the first few attempts his friends accepted that he wasn't going to share anything with them and gave up. Unfortunately, that meant he was left to stew in silence over Monday's date.

About a half hour before he was due to leave, once the hair, make-up and wardrobe people had left, he sat down on the edge of his bed and took out his beloved cards. He stroked the back of the deck lightly, imagining that he could feel a faint pulse of warmth emerging from them, like they were happy for his attention. Duel monsters had been his passion for a long time and he was looking forward to having a new opponent, even if he was doubtful that Yami would actually be able to beat him. Few people could.

Ryou walked in as he was flipping through the cards and just stood there a moment, looking at Yuugi thoughtfully, before he smiled. "Let me guess. Yami is a duel monsters enthusiast, too," he said.

"How'd you know?"

"You would never be interested in someone who didn't at least know about the game," Ryou replied, sitting down on Jou's bed. His brown eyes were filled with amusement. "Even Anzu started to learn more after you guys started going out. And I haven't seen you this nervous since the third time you asked Anzu out on a date and she finally said yes." His grin widened. "You were nervous on Friday but now you're even worse. You feel like there's more at stake now because you genuinely like Yami."

"I hate when you do that," Yuugi muttered. "Yes, Yami plays duel monsters, and he agreed that we could have a duel once we were finished dinner. Happy?"

Ryou chuckled warmly. "Of course I am. Yuugi, do you realize how long it's been since you were genuinely interested in anything? Ever since you and Anzu broke up it's like you've been living in your own world. I was really starting to worry about you, to be honest. I'm pleased that Yami has sparked your curiosity. Maybe this will turn out better for you than you thought."

"Well, I don't know about that." He picked up one of his favorite cards, the Silent Magician, and turned it over fretfully. "Yami is so exotic, Ryou. I have a hard time imagining what someone like him could want with me."

"Give it time, Yuugi," Ryou urged. "You and Yami need to get to know each other better before you make decisions or judgments. From what I saw on Friday night he was genuinely interested in talking to you, and, considering that there were several cameras in your faces, I think it says something that he made the effort. And then you guys spent three hours together on Saturday without anyone else around… He didn't run screaming out of the hotel so you've got to be doing _something _right."

Yuugi laughed. "I guess when you look at it that way, you have a point." Smiling, he shuffled his cards together, sliding Silent Magician back into the deck. Part of him was still expecting that Yami would drop the show at some point, and he fully believed that nothing would ever develop romantically between them no matter how interested Yuugi might be, but he would like it if he and Yami could at least come out of this as friends. Unconsciously, his hand rose to his cheek and he touched the spot where Yami had kissed him. Or more… even if he doubted it would happen, he could hope.

Brown eyes watched him closely, and Ryou had to fight back the urge to giggle, knowing that his friend was completely smitten. It was actually really cute. "You're going to be late, Yuugi," he pointed out.

"Oh! Shit!" Yuugi leapt off of the bed and hurriedly gathered his things. "Thanks, Ryou." He dashed out of the room without waiting for a response, hurrying down the hall to the elevator. Thanks to the mirrored walls, he was able to make sure that he still looked okay. His hair was still spiked and his face had been subtly made up to resemble his appearance Friday night (including the kohl, annoyingly enough) but apparently tonight was a little fancier clothing wise. He was wearing a pair of black dress pants, a deep blue shirt, and a violet tie. At least there was no jacket to go over it: that would have been pushing it too far. As it was, he felt mildly uncomfortable, like he was a little kid who had been trying on Daddy's dress clothing.

He tried to push that thought from his mind as he was ushered out the door by an assistant he didn't know - there seemed to be quite a lot of them working for the show and every one he met was different - and into the car. The camera filmed him getting inside, but thankfully didn't follow, though the assistant did. Yuugi breathed a sigh of relief that he would not have to pretend he wasn't nervous on the drive over. He slipped a hand into his pocket and fingered his deck, feeling the better for having it along. His hips felt oddly bare without his traditional belt, which had a special holder sewn onto it just for his cards, but he didn't think it went along with his clothing… well, that and one of the wardrobe designers had nearly tackled him when he tried to put it on.

"Alright, we're here," the assistant said, looking out the window. "There will be cameras focused on you as soon as you get out, so make it look good, yeah?" Her voice was rough and low, with an accent that made her kind of hard to understand. She turned to him and grinned broadly. "Good luck, kiddo."

"Kiddo?" Yuugi muttered under his breath, not sure whether he should be insulted or amused, considering that she looked to be about the same age that he did. He waited for the driver to open the door and then got out slowly, trying to keep his face composed. He'd always been the kind of person who wore his heart on his sleeve. Sugoroku had told him, once, that his mother was exactly the same way. He looked straight ahead, trying to ignore the cameras, and walked towards the restaurant. There was a brief, disorienting moment when the cameras looked away and Haga appeared to wire him up again, and then he was inside.

If he'd thought that the hotel's restaurant was expensive, it had nothing on this place. Yuugi tried to be subtle about looking around as a man dressed in a tuxedo swept forward to greet him. "You're Mutou Yuugi?" he inquired smoothly.

"Yes, that's me."

"Right this way, Mutou-san." The man turned and led Yuugi deeper into the restaurant.

Yuugi had heard about these kinds of restaurants before, though he'd never been to one. Instead of one main dining room, there are lots of smaller, separate rooms that were cordoned off so that people could dine in privacy. Although Mai told them that the show had rented out the whole restaurant, he doubted that was the case: it wouldn't really be necessary. It was impossible to know for sure, though, because most of the doors were closed or curtains drawn, preventing him from having even a glimpse of what was inside. He walked on, following the man until they finally stopped in front of a door at the end of a long hall. He opened it and bowed again, indicating for Yuugi to walk inside.

"Enjoy your meal," the man said.

"Thank you." Yuugi stepped in and looked around. It was a medium-sized room, easily big enough for at least a dozen people. There was a western-style counter with two chairs pulled up to it. Part of the table was a silvery color, with only a brown border around the rest that was about twelve inches wide, big enough for a plate and not much else. The walls were covered in dozens of twinkling fairy lights that gave the illusion of stars, like being outside. Yami was sitting at the table already, waiting for him, and it instantly occurred to Yuugi, as he eyed the dark pants, gold shirt and crimson tie the man was wearing, that Yami was easily the best looking thing in the room.

"Good evening," Yami said with a warm smile, rising to his feet. He held the chair for Yuugi to sit down before taking his seat again. There were two wine glasses already on the table, along with a wine bottle that was chilling in an ice bucket. Yami popped the cork and poured two glasses half full. It was white wine and he laughed a little at Yuugi's expression. "Not used to wine?"

"Not really. My grandfather doesn't drink because of the medication he takes, and when I go out with my friends, it's definitely not for wine," Yuugi replied, taking the glass and swirling it around. The smell of alcohol made him wrinkle his nose a little.

Yami grinned. "I've been drinking wine since I was small," he said, pushing the cork back into the bottle. "Although, granted, it was usually red wine, not white. If you don't like it, you don't have to drink it. I'm sure we could get something else."

"I'm willing to try it." He turned and saw that Yami was holding his glasses up, waiting for Yuugi to toast with him. Swallowing, he tapped his glass gently against Yami's, and the resulting high-pitched ding made a shiver run down his spine. "To… to a great game," he said, remembering the presence of his cards at the very last moment.

"And to an equally great date." Yami winked at him before he put the glass to his lips and sipped. Yuugi was so mesmerized by watching that long throat move that his first swallow of the wine went down without a problem. He blinked when Yami lowered his glass and looked away quickly, taking another sip. It wasn't as bad as he had been expecting. A little bitter, but fruity.

There was a gentle knock, and then a door on the far side of the room opened and a young woman walked in carrying a covered basket. She was neatly attired in a long black skirt, a white long-sleeved top, all covered by a white apron. Her blonde hair had been tied up in a bun and she was wearing a chef's hat overtop. She smiled at them warmly as she set her basket down on the table. "Good evening, young sirs. My name is Takahashi Matsumi. You may call me Matsumi. I'm going to be your chef for this evening. I hope you both enjoy the show, and if you have any requests or allergies, please do let me know."

She began taking things out of her basket: chicken, some fish, and a wide variety of vegetables. Yuugi watched in wide-eyed amazement as she proceeded to give them a show the likes of which he'd never seen before. Her hands moved so smoothly around the knives, it was almost as though they were an extension of her body. She fearlessly flipped them, tossing them lightly from hand to hand, even gently threw them up into the air and caught them before they had even a chance of striking what he now realized was a stove. The food was diced and chopped and then added to the metal surface to cook, but the show didn't stop there. After adding seasoning, Matsumi proved that she was equally talented with the sticks she was using to create kabobs, tossing the food into the air and then artfully positioning the stick so that the food landed right in the middle and slipped down easily. By the time she set two plates of steaming food down in front of them, he couldn't help clapping.

"That was amazing, Matsumi-san!"

"Thank you." Matsumi was flushed with pride and smiling. "Enjoy your meal. Someone will drop in on you periodically to make sure that your needs are being taken care of." She curtsied and left, leaving behind no trace that she had ever been there; the work space looked as spotless as it had before she'd entered. Every morsel of food had been used in some way, but with such precise care that it looked as though no one had used the stove at all.

"You've never been to a place like this, have you?" Yami asked curiously, picking up one of the sticks. He slid a piece of chicken off with his fork and popped it into his mouth.

Yuugi arched an eyebrow at his proper manners and used his fingers to fetch a piece of vegetable. To hell with the cameras, there were just some things that you had to eat with your hands. "You're right, I haven't," he said, his stomach grumbling happy as the taste of the spicy food spread through his mouth. "I don't think there are any places like this in Domino City, and whenever Jii-chan and I go traveling, his friends always want to stick to the places they're used to. Which isn't a bad thing, but…"

"No, it's not, because I'm glad I had the chance to be here with you on your first time. Sometimes I forget what it's like." Yami sounded wistful.

For a moment, Yuugi just looked at him. It wasn't the kind of comment that would normally be made to a relative stranger and it sounded odd coming out of Yami's mouth. He had the feeling that Yami's childhood hadn't been very pleasant, had perhaps been fairly lonely, and that made him sad. Yuugi had dealt with his fair share of bullies when he was younger, but he'd always had his friends. Jou, Ryou, Malik and even Anzu to a point… they had always been there for him. He wondered if Yami could say the same thing, or if Seto, Mariku and Bakura were more recent friends than that.

"Here," he said impulsively, sliding a sticky piece of fish off of his stick. He held it out to Yami, who raised both eyebrows before leaning forward. A slow flush rose in Yuugi's cheeks as he felt warm lips curling around his fingers and then a slick, warm tongue was sweeping across the pads of his thumb and index finger, which suddenly felt dreadfully sensitive. His stomach tightened and the words "holy fuck" flashed through his mind, especially when Yami's crimson eyes met his, dancing with amusement as he slowly pulled back, allowing Yuugi's fingers to slide from his mouth regretfully.

"It's good," Yami said with a slow, wicked smile, drawing his tongue across his lips to catch every drop of flavor. The flash of that pink tongue made Yuugi feel dizzy. Yami looked at Yuugi for a moment and then set his fork down. Yuugi was pleased to see him pick up the stick and start eating with his fingers; he was less pleased when Yami took another piece of chicken off of his stick and then held it out. When Yuugi tried to take it with his fingers, Yami pulled it back, out of reach, and shook his head playfully. "Nu-uh, no fingers allowed."

"Mean," Yuugi pouted but leaned forward, catching the tender morsel with his mouth, careful to avoid touching any part of Yami's skin. It didn't seem to make a difference. Just being so close after what Yami had done made him squirm. Without thinking, he looked up and their eyes met again. The smoldering emotion in Yami's darkened eyes was…

The door on the far end of the room opened and both of them hastily sat straight up. Yuugi suddenly remembered the presence of the cameras and grabbed his wine, feeling his cheeks burn as he took a gulp. It was, apparently, much easier to forget about them than he'd expected. Unlike before, they really were alone in the room this time; special cameras had been set up to monitor them from every angle instead. If the intention was to make them forget that they were being watched, it was working. For a few minutes the world had existed solely of him and Yami, and judging by the faint pink color on Yami's cheeks, he felt the same way.

"So sorry to intrude," a woman's voice said. Yami stiffened. Yuugi frowned and twisted to see. There was a young woman standing behind them, probably mid-twenties, maybe a little younger. She was tall and slender, with dark hair wound up in two balls on either side of her head and dark almond eyes lined with bright color. She was wearing a short black skirt and white wrap top along with a pair of white heels that should have been impossible to walk in, much less sashay across the room with a twitch of the hips that would've made a normal man hit the floor. "I just came to see if you'd like to sample a different kind of wine."

"We're good," Yami said shortly, draining the rest of the wine in one smooth tilt. He sounded strangely tense. "We don't need anything from you."

She just chuckled and looked at Yuugi. "What about you, sweetheart? We have all kinds of drinks. Don't hesitate to ask for anything. I'm used to providing men with whatever they want." There was just a hint of something in her voice that made Yuugi look at her warily, but her face was all innocence as she ducked behind the stove and came up with another bottle of wine and two fresh glasses. She held the wine bottle out to Yami. "Would you do the honors, love?"

Yami took the bottle with a Look that said he was very much_ not_ her love and popped the cork. She plucked it out of his hands with a giggle and poured two full glasses, pushing one over to him almost immediately. The other she held in her own hand, long fingers swirling the liquid around, before leaning forward and gently tapping it against Yami's glass. Their eyes met and Yuugi was fairly sure he saw her wink even as she blew Yami a kiss. Certainly it was impossible to miss the almost visible strands of tension that lingered between the two of them, and when the girl pulled back with a toss of her head, she looked completely satisfied. She set the glass down by Yuugi's elbow, oblivious to the way he recoiled from it, and placed a possessive hand on Yami's arm, sliding her fingers slowly up to his elbow, before she sauntered out of the room.

"Friend of yours?" Yuugi asked quietly. Too quietly. His voice barely seemed loud enough to fill the room. There was a degree of familiarity between them that made him cold.

"An old acquaintance and nothing more." Yami sounded strained. "Yuugi – "

"She seemed to think she was more than just an acquaintance." Yuugi stared hard at the table and swallowed hard. Yami had made it sound like he wasn't interested in girls, but really he had only Yami's word on that. And of course, it wasn't like he really had any claim to Yami at all, and that realization was a little like being unexpectedly doused in freezing cold water. Just because they were on a dating show, well, that didn't mean too much, did it?

"Yuugi…" Yami was staring at him. Yuugi waited for him to speak, not looking up, keeping his eyes trained on the remnants of his food. He was very conscious of the cameras and he suspected that Yami was too. Finally, Yami said lamely, "I didn't know she would be here."

And really, that just said it all. Yuugi took a deep breath and stood up, wiping his greasy fingers on a napkin. "It seems to me that maybe you need to decide whether _you_ are really ready to be here, Yami," he said stiffly. "Because that woman, whoever she is, doesn't think that you are and I didn't see any evidence that tells me you don't feel the same way."

"Yuugi, wait!" Strong fingers curled around his wrist and Yuugi hated the way his stomach jumped at the touch. Good god, he'd only known Yami for a handful of days and he already had a serious crush on the man. He was acting like a scorned lover or something like that, and all the waitress had done was openly (and, admittedly, inappropriately) flirt and touch and blow Yami a kiss and smile. Really he should sit down, laugh it off, try to pretend like it didn't bother him…

But he couldn't. Not now, not so soon.

"Good-bye, Yami," he said, and waited until Yami had slowly released him before he walked through the door. There was someone in front of him wielding a camera and the man behind it looked far too thrilled. The camera was zoomed in on Yuugi's face and he realized that he must have looked pretty upset. He tried to school his features into a calmer mask as he headed for the front of the restaurant.

The limo was waiting right outside the door, and either it had been waiting there all along or someone had let the driver know Yuugi was leaving. Yuugi climbed into the back and slammed the door behind him. He couldn't resist watching the door to see if Yami would come up out after him, but there was no sign of the man, and really, why should there be? Either Yami had screwed up or Yuugi was the one who had completely blown things out of proportion thanks to his past experience with Anzu. Neither option was a comforting thought. He curled up in a corner of the seat, put his head down on his knees, and tried to keep from crying.

* * *

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, everyone. I had some mingled feelings about the last chapter and I hope that this one helps to clear things up a little, particularly in regards to what Anzu did to Yuugi, since I've had many people buzzing with curiosity on that! You'll note that when the story is from the point of view of someone who does know who Yami really is, he's addressed accordingly. I hope that doesn't confuse anyone - it shouldn't by now. Enjoy!

* * *

Atemu was not in a good mood. He was sitting on his bed, legs tucked underneath him, and staring down at the sketchbook that was balanced across the sheets. It clearly wasn't the best surface, but he'd made do with much worse. His pencil moved across the page in a series of quick, rough jerks that had Seto watching him with a worried frown. The next date, which would be a group date, was tomorrow and he didn't know if Atemu was ready to go through with it or not, but he had to find out. Annoyingly enough, he was on his own: Bakura and Mariku had vacated the premises, leaving him to deal with the irate prince. As much as those two could be annoying pests, they were decent back-up… sometimes.

"Atemu," he said softly, using his cousin's real name in an effort to get his attention. It worked. Atemu's head rose and he blinked at Seto, who smiled cautiously and held out a bottle of water and a sandwich. "You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Atemu." This time he injected a stern note into his voice. Honestly, sometimes he felt like he had two younger brothers, not one, but it worked. Atemu frowned but set the book aside, pointedly closing the cover so that Seto couldn't see what was on it. He accepted the sandwich and leaned back against the bed, tugging his legs out from underneath him so that he could balance the plate on his knees. Seto sat down on the edge of the bed and watched, waiting patiently until a good portion of the meal was gone before he handed over the water bottle. This wasn't really a part of his job, but he had gradually come to understand that part of being the Pharaoh's Advisor, a role he would someday occupy in a more official capacity, included acting as a therapist when necessary. He said, "Tell me what's going on."

"Nothing is going on," Atemu mumbled, putting the bottle of water to his lips. He began to drink in huge, deep gulps, using the water as a way to avoid meeting his cousin's eyes.

"Then do explain why you've been sulking in here since you came back on Monday night."

"Vivian was there."

Something cold curled in Seto's gut and he sat up straight. "Vivian _Wong_?"

"Is there any other Vivian who has terrorized us?" The prince asked with a sarcastic smile, dropping the empty bottle on the bed. "She was our waitress, meaning she probably knocked some poor girl unconscious and stole her uniform just for the chance to get close to me. I don't think Vivian consciously understands that servants are actual people."

Just one reason on a mile long list of why the woman would have made a dreadful queen. "And I gather from the way that you've been sitting here that Yuugi didn't take her appearance well."

"That would be an understatement." Atemu sighed. "He walked out on me."

"Oh." Seto had to struggle to hide a smile. That would definitely be the first time that had ever happened. Being brought up with a charmed life was all well and good until it was whisked away, and he knew that Atemu was struggling with some of the less fun aspects of being treated like a normal person. "You're concerned that he won't show up tomorrow."

Atemu lifted his head and gave him a Look. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

The brunet laughed. "He was probably jealous, Atemu. Vivian, no doubt, went out of her way to stake a claim on you. I suspect Yuugi isn't used to that kind of thing. It probably made him nervous." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Atemu didn't have a lot of experience in normal dating, but he did know about this. He spoke carefully. "If he's been hurt in the past, then he might be concerned that you're trying to jerk him around."

There was a moment of silence while Atemu considered that. "You think someone might have cheated on him."

"It happens," Seto said with a faint trace of bitterness.

Crimson eyes focused on him for a split second before Atemu looked away. "It happens," he said quietly, "to everyone."

Seto stared at him. "Cousin?"

"I need some time to myself, Seto, if you don't mind. I have to think about what I'm going to say to Yuugi if he decides to show up and give me another chance." The prince smiled humorlessly. "Please try to remember to call me Yami, not Atemu. You never know when there might be someone listening."

Dumbly, Seto nodded and stood up. His mind was spinning with this new revelation. Some part of him had always believed that Atemu lived a charmed life, even though he knew that wasn't technically true. But he had never heard of his cousin enduring any kind of heartbreak. He wanted to press for additional details, but something about the closed-off expression on Atemu's face warned him not to press the matter for the time being. Instead, he walked over to the door before looking back one last time. Atemu had picked up his sketchbook and pencil, though he hadn't gone back to drawing. He was just staring down at the book. Seto sighed and let himself out, closing the door quietly behind him. He was wholly unsurprised to see Bakura and Mariku waiting for him.

"You could have come in, you know," he said. "He doesn't bite."

"No, but when he's in a bad mood, he does get snappy," Bakura replied, leaning against the opposite wall. Their job was to guard Atemu and that's what they did best, but not even a bodyguard could withstand that temper for long. "What did you find out?"

"He's mad because that Woman showed up."

Mariku's had snapped up and he looked at Seto in true horror. "Not… _the _Woman."

"Yes, her." Seto nodded grimly, another chill working its way down his spine. Vivian Wong was not a nice woman, that was for certain. She was a truly amazing actress, though, and when she had first shown up at the palace she had everyone fooled, including Prince Atemu and his father. It had taken time and experiences best left forgotten for them to realize that she was truly a snake in mouse's clothing. Atemu had broken their engagement off and asked her not to return to Egypt. She hadn't – it wasn't as though she could resist an order from the Prince – but now that Atemu was outside of Egypt he was apparently considered fair game.

"I thought we'd seen the last of her," Mariku whined, shuddering. He really, truly did not like Vivian Wong. If there was one person he wasn't sure he could protect his prince from, it was her. She had the soul of a demon, regardless of what she looked like on the outside.

"So did I," Seto said with a sigh. "We're going to have to find some way to make her stop interfering. She ruined Atemu's last date. I think she's trying to butter him up again, and although he's too smart to fall for it a second time around, she's not above causing as much trouble as possible in the meantime. I'm not sure the Pharaoh ever understood why Atemu broke off their engagement and I'm concerned he might try to pressure him into marrying her if this doesn't work out with Yuugi."

Bakura visibly cringed at the thought of having Vivian for a Queen. If there was anything that would be enough to make him leave Egypt, it would be that. "Then I guess we'd better figure out how to chase her away."

**YY**

Three days later, Yuugi saw Yami for the first time since he'd walked out on their date. Mai had cornered him the day after their disastrous date and praised him for the "dramatic tantrum". Apparently she thought that it was just what their date had needed to make it a little spicier. It was a phrase that had made him flush, horribly embarrassed, because apparently he wasn't the only one who thought that his actions had been a little out of hand. She'd then asked him to stay away from Yami until the group date so that the tension would be as high as possible, and, much as he didn't agree with her methods, it had been all too easy to take the coward's way out and agree. He had no desire to see Yami again, especially not when he knew he'd have to give an explanation for why he had walked out. He suspected that "the waitress was flirting with you" wasn't going to cut it.

So it was with a fair amount of trepidation that he got up the morning of the group date and dressed in the clingy blue jeans, shirt and sneakers that had been left for him by wardrobe. No make-up this time, thankfully. He figured that they were doing something outside, or at least physically inclined judging by what he was wearing, but he had no idea what. Regardless, the idea made him nervous. Sports had never been his thing. He was too short and slender for to be any good at them. He and Ryou used to stay off to the sidelines and let Malik and Jou do all of the work when it came to gym class. The thought of making a fool of himself in front of Yami for a second time in just a few days was less than appealing.

"Do you think if I said I was sick I could stay home?" he asked Ryou in an undertone. He could tell that Ryou was dreading the coming experience as much as he was. Ryou had never been one for physical exertion, either, and no doubt he wasn't looking forward to doing it in front of Bakura.

"That didn't work in high school and I doubt it would work now," Ryou said with a sigh. His hair had been tied back again and it was annoying him. He kept playing with the end of his ponytail, curling it around his finger. "They'd probably call a doctor and then where would we be? Both of us are disgustingly healthy. Look on the bright side. At least this time there are no bullies waiting to trip us."

Yuugi gave a weak smile at that and turned to look back out the window. His trepidation grew as the limo pulled up to where a few cameramen and -women were waiting. Beyond, he could just make out what appeared to be a sandy beach. Perhaps they were going swimming? But he doubted it, considering that he hadn't been given a bathing suit. What else could you do on a beach? He frowned and followed Jou out of the car, waiting for Malik and Ryou to join them before they set off along the path indicated to them by Mai. It led them out and around an outcropping, away from the water and towards the face of a cliff.

_Oh_. His stomach started to hurt and he heard Ryou give a little squeak of dismay. The cliff rose above them, towering and seeming much steeper than it would have if climbing equipment wasn't waiting for them at the bottom. Yuugi tried to keep a calm face as he walked towards it, feet sinking deeply into the sand. Yami, Bakura, Mariku and Seto were already waiting for them, and there were also two unfamiliar women. One, a redhead, was deep in conversation with Seto, gesturing to the cliff and talking emphatically. The other was kneeling over several ropes and harnesses, hands moving over the equipment with the dexterity of long practice.

"Hey, you must be the rest of our group," the redhead said with a friendly smile.

"Yeah that's us," Yuugi muttered. There was a sour taste lingering in the back of his mouth. It may have been fear.

"You get to try rock climbing today." She grinned at them and knelt, high ponytail bobbing as she popped right back up holding a harness. She launched into a complex explanation of the necessary equipment for rock climbing that had Yuugi lost within minutes. He could have been following her without too much trouble if he had really wanted to, but the thought of trying to scale that cliff was nothing short of terrifying. All he could think about was getting stuck halfway up. He glanced at his friends.

Ryou seemed to be praying for divine intervention. Malik didn't look overly impressed with the plans for the day, either. He was looking at the harness like it was going to jump up and bite him. Only Jou seemed to be genuinely excited, following the instructor's explanation with the kind of rapt attention to detail that would have earned him straight A's in school had he cared enough. Yuugi sighed and folded his arms, wondering not for the first time why he had allowed Anzu to talk him into this.

"And that's it," the redhead concluded. "Now it's important to remember that as long as you stay calm and listen to our instructions, you're not going to be in any real danger. I'll be here and Kurumi-chan will be at the top in case you run into trouble. This cliff has tons of natural hand and food holds, so you won't be dependent on the rope. It's just there if you run into trouble and as you can see, it is very strong." She held up the rope she was holding and tugged on it to demonstrate. "You'll also be going up in pairs, so your partner will be an additional source of support."

Yuugi glanced at Ryou and tried to imagine how it would help if both of them got stuck at the same time. Ryou seemed to be thinking the same thing because he shot Yuugi a smirk. "Think it's too late to go home sick?" he asked quietly, wiggling his eyebrows. Both of them snickered.

"This sounds _awesome_," Jou commented. "When do we get to start?"

"Jou can go first," Yuugi said quickly before the redhead could even open her mouth. He had visions of Mai deciding that Yuugi and Yami should be the first ones up the cliff.

"Are you Jounouchi Katsuya? You can call me Shinta," said the redhead, holding out her hand. "You've been paired with Kaiba Seto."

Jou's mouth twisted and he shot a heavy look of annoyance in Seto's direction. It was returned with a knowing smirk that tilted at the corner, a prelude to an unspoken challenge. Jou scowled and muttered something under his breath as he stormed over to where Kurumi was just finishing her testing of the harnesses. He crouched down and started asking her questions about the harness, while a cameraman leaning over his shoulder in the hopes of catching every word. Seto stepped closer to listen as well, seemingly undaunted by the ferocity of Jou's resulting glare.

Bored, Malik wandered away in the direction of the ocean. He'd always had a fascination with the water that was at odds with the fact that he hated swimming, boating or even letting his toes get wet. He was like a cat in that way. Mariku went after him, accompanied by one of the ever present cameras, this time a woman who was hard-pressed to hide her triumphant smirk. Evidently she was pleased that she was not the one who had to stick around and listen to Jou and Seto's bickering as they began putting their harnesses on.

Yuugi leaned against the cliff face, watching from a safe distance, as Ryou began looking for shells. He should have seen it coming, should have insisted that Ryou stay near enough to keep anyone else away, but he didn't. There was only a moment or two of blessed silence before a tanned hand came to rest on his shoulder. His heart lurched and he felt faintly dizzy, but it passed in the breadth of time it took for him to turn around and look up at Yami. Surprisingly, the man did not look angry, merely curious, and he watched Yuugi with steady crimson eyes, both of them ignoring the presence of the cameraman that had followed them.

"She was my ex-fiancée," he said before Yuugi could bring himself to speak. "We dated for a long time, but it turned out that she was another one of those people I was telling you about, the ones who only want to be around me for certain things. We broke up almost a year ago." His lips twitched in a half-hearted smile. "I wasn't expecting her to be there, much less as our waitress, and I admit that it threw me off a little. I should have asked her to leave and explained things to you right away. I'm sorry I didn't."

For a moment, Yuugi just blinked at him, caught off guard by the sudden apology. This was not what he had been expecting. "You're apologizing to me?" he asked doubtfully, confused. "_I _was the one who got angry and walked out on you."

"An understandable reaction, I would think. Vivian has never bothered to be subtle about what she wants." Yami moved his hand away finally and crossed his arms. Yuugi's shoulder felt cold instantly. "You should know that our relationship, if you could even call it that, is completely over with. I broke it off with her and asked her to leave and I haven't seen her since. I thought that was the end of it, but obviously she somehow heard I was coming on the show and decided that it was an opportune time for her to make a move." He grimaced at the thought. "If she shows up again, I hope you know that I'll make it very clear to her that she needs to leave us alone."

"You think she's going to come around again?" Yuugi asked warily. He remembered how it had felt to watch Vivian rubbing her hand over Yami's arm, to see the possessive, triumphant glint in her eyes as she walked out of the room. He wasn't sure he could handle round two.

"She's never been a person who gives up easily," Yami said apologetically. "At the time that I met her, I mistakenly believed she was exactly what I wanted. She was very good at enticing me to chase her instead of the other way around. Now I realize that she saw me as a prize to be won, not someone she wanted an equal partnership with. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not relieved that I didn't go through with marrying her. I have not missed her and I sincerely hope she doesn't show up again. I only thought it fair to warn you that there was a chance she might."

Yuugi considered that and let out a slow breath. "Alright, that's fair," he said with a nod. "Thank you for explaining and for warning me. I appreciate it." He studied Yami for a minute and then looked away uncomfortably. "I… I also owe you an apology for walking out like that. I should have given you a chance to explain instead of storming off."

"Do you mind if I ask why you were so upset?"

"No, I suppose not. I've never told anyone this story, you know. My friends were all there to see it happen." He stared at the ground. "When I was growing up, I had a big crush on one of my best friends, Mazaki Anzu. She was beautiful and smart and I thought she was just the best girl ever. I asked her out a couple times but she always turned me down in the interest of our friendship." A slightly bitter smile crossed his face. "Friends are very important to Anzu. On the day that she finally accepted, she made me swear that, no matter what, nothing about our relationship would ever have an impact our friendship."

Yami looked at him carefully. "That sounds like a tall order."

"It was. Or I should say, it is. We dated for about six months. I thought everything was going well. We were in our last year of high school and Anzu was taking a lot of dance classes. She wanted to move to America and see if she could make it big on Broadway. I was thinking about going with her until one day she sat me down and told me that she wanted to break up." He crossed his arms and sighed. "It completely hit me out of nowhere. I had no idea she was unhappy with the relationship. But apparently there was this guy in her dance classes that she had become infatuated with and he returned her affection. She swore that nothing had happened between the two of them and that she broke up with me first, but…"

"But part of you has always wondered," Yami finished, crimson eyes dark with compassion. "I'm sorry, little one. That's not a pleasant position to be put into, especially since I imagine that this Anzu then held you to your promise that you remain friends."

"Got it in one," Yuugi said with forced cheer, turning his face away so that it would be in the shadows. He knew Anzu wouldn't be happy that their story had ended up on television but he didn't care. It felt good to talk about it with Yami. "She insisted that nothing change and I didn't know how to say no to her. I guess I thought that if I stayed friends with her, she would lose interest in that guy and come back to me. That was almost three years ago. She's been to America and come back and she's still with him. She teaches dance now and he's the creator of that Dungeon and Dice game."

"You mean Otogi Ryuuji?" Yami asked, startled.

"Yes, that's him. Do you know him?"

"I've met him once or twice. I've also met his girlfriend. I had no idea she was the young woman you were talking about." Yami frowned slightly. He could recall the tall, slender girl with chestnut hair and deep blue eyes with ease. Beside Otogi, who was all long, dark hair and flashing emerald eyes, the two of them had made quite a graceful and striking pair, and Anzu had been plenty spunky enough to keep up with Otogi. But Yami couldn't really see her and Yuugi together. Friends? Yes. Anything more? Even with what little he knew about Yuugi, it just didn't seem to mesh. "She was… quite a character."

Yuugi smiled. "Yeah, well, I think she still feels guilty about what happened because she was the one who forced me to sign up for the show. I'm pretty sure she was hoping that it would lead to me finding the one so she wouldn't have to feel bad anymore."

"You shouldn't have come if your only intention was to assuage her guilt."

"Well, that was why I came at first… but I've found a different reason for staying." Yuugi's cheeks turned pink as he spoke, and he offered Yami a shy smile. "It's not as bad as I thought it would be."

"I have to agree with you there," Yami said softly, returning the smile. He glanced at the camera and decided that enough private conversation had been held on national television for the time being. Though he very much wanted to find out more about Yuugi, and he especially wanted more details about his relationship with Anzu, he knew that all of that was best left until later. "If you don't want to do the rock climbing, one of the assistants told me about a very nice trial that goes up the cliff. We could take the time to walk it if you want."

"That sounds nice. I'm not really one for rock climbing." Yuugi grinned, pleased that he wouldn't have to try to climb up the cliff. It was fine for Jou, whose tall stature would likely make it a breeze, but not so much for someone who barely reached an even five foot standing on the ground on a good day. "Lead on."

* * *

**A/N:** I know very little about rock climbing, being terrified of heights. I apologize for anything that's glaringly wrong or incorrect.

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, everyone. This chapter is a bit different… I thought I would expand out on the other relationships just for a little while since this was a group date and all. Enjoy!

* * *

The waves washed gently up the shore, lapping at Malik's toes. He grimaced and took a step back, edging out of reach, until his heels sank down into soft, dry sand. It was so _vast_, unlike anything he had ever seen in Egypt. The first time he'd seen the ocean, it had taken Isis a long time to talk him out of having a panic attack. So much water… it was practically unheard of. He'd never taken to the water the way that she had; he much preferred lying on the beach and soaking up the sun and watching from a distance he considered safe.

And yet… something drew him to the ocean, and he found that as much as he disliked it he couldn't tear himself away. But then, he'd always had a thing for danger. Ever since they'd left the clan behind, he'd enjoyed doing anything that made him feel alive. He crouched and dug his fingers into the wet, mushy sand until he had a good handful. It was heavy and cool, drying out already from the brilliant sun that felt hotter today than it had for weeks. Malik blew out his breath in a sigh and looked up, eyes aching from the brilliant light. What the hell was he doing here?

"Bored yet?" A warm finger trailed down his spine, right between his shoulder blades, and he shivered. Oh yeah. _That's _why he was here.

"I can entertain myself," he said, turning his hand over and watching as the sand fell in a messy clump. He dusted his hands together, smearing mud, before glancing over his shoulder. Mariku was right behind him, so close that his knees were pressing against Malik's shoulders. "I thought you'd be rock climbing."

"That's a little tame for me. Where's the fun if you have a safety line to catch you?" Mariku made a face and twisted his shoulders, uncoiling the tension. "Now, if they would let us go without the equipment…"

A small smirk curled around Malik's lips. "I'm pretty sure that could be termed suicide and I doubt that it would do much for their ratings if they let that happen." He stood up and turned, noticing that the camerawoman was keeping a safe distance. She was probably supposed to be close enough to record them without needing to use the zoom feature, but for some reason the crew seemed to be keeping their distance from them. His smirk grew. What a pity that they learned fast.

"Too bad. It could've been fun." Mariku reached out and lazily slipped a hand around Malik's hip, his fingers curling beneath the tank top. The touch of skin on skin was intoxicating. "You know, don't you? I could see it in your face when you walked into the restaurant for the first time."

It didn't take him long to guess what Mariku was referring to. He turned his head so that his face was shielded from the cameras by Mariku's hair and, when he spoke, his voice was soft enough to not be picked up by the microphone pinned to his shirt. No doubt the people working for the show already knew, but it would frustrate them to not know what exactly he and Mariku were talking about. "About the prince? Of course I know. My sister and I did grow up there."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"I didn't really think it was necessary. He was treating Yuugi kindly and he seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him."

"You'd be willing to give him a chance, then."

Malik let out a soft huff of laughter. "I spent the first twelve years of my life trapped underground because my clan hated the pharaoh so much," he said, every warm breath sliding over Mariku's ear and neck. "There were days I thought I would never get free. We were taught to hate him and to fear him, to believe that he would kill us if he so much as laid an eye on us. My sister and I only found the courage to escape when the prince was officially crowned the heir and it became clear that he would one day inherit the throne. Against our father's wishes, she brought me up into the world. He's still down there with the others. No doubt he believes that the pharaoh struck us down immediately just for breathing fresh air." His hand landed on Mariku's shoulder and he deliberately eased himself closer. "Now I ask you. Why would I do anything that would prohibit the prince from taking the throne if it means the pharaoh would step down?"

"Smarter than I thought," Mariku rumbled, voice deep with amusement. His head tilted down, lips brushing the side of Malik's throat. "Atemu can't ascend the throne unless he gets married, but he only wants to marry for love. He has difficulty finding people who are willing to see past the obvious. That's why he came here on this… show." The brief hesitation was an indication of how badly he wanted to use one of the various other adjectives in his mind, but he refrained.

"I thought so," Malik muttered, closing the last inch and pressing his forehead to Mariku's chin. He fit perfectly there, he noted distantly. "I won't tell Yuugi if Yami wants to do it himself. I'm willing to keep it a secret for now because he seems to like Yami and I want him to be happy. But I'm warning you, he should do it soon. Yuugi doesn't take well to being lied to and this could very easily blow up in Yami's face."

"I'll let him know," Mariku breathed, skin tingling pleasantly where he was touching the younger man. "Would you consider coming back to Egypt?"

Malik's eyes fluttered open. "My clan used to tell stories about the pharaoh who they believe would never step down from the throne. Right up until the day I left, several of them thought that he would reign for a thousand years. If the prince could become pharaoh, I suppose anything is possible." It was a big concession for him to make. He'd been happy to leave Egypt behind and there was a part of him that had sworn he would never go back. Yet, if this took the road that he thought it would… He exhaled and nuzzled closer. "What are you to him?"

"An assassin turned bodyguard when the need calls for it." A hand lazily slipped up Malik's spine. The camerawoman turned an interesting shade of blotchy red. "Bakura is the Thief King turned bodyguard. He indulges every once in a while. We both have our special areas and as it turns out we work well together. Seto really is his cousin. He and his younger brother run Kaiba Corp in their spare time, but someday he'll be the pharaoh's advisor and Mokuba will head the company."

"Wait until Jou hears about that."

"You think he likes Seto?"

"I think there's definite interest. Jou just runs hot and cold, that's all. It will take a lot to handle his temper." It also wasn't helping that he had a minor obsession with that woman, Mai.

"I think Seto can handle him. This seems to be working out nicely."

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Malik said, amused.

"Doesn't the little white-haired kitten like Bakura?" Mariku asked, deliberately misunderstanding.

"Just because _I _like_ you_ doesn't mean I'm going to marry you."

"No?" Mariku's hand pushed firmly against his back, guiding their hips together firmly. Malik made a strangled sound in the back of his throat and his head fell back. "I'd settle for being able to take you."

"Oh Ra." A heavy gasp worked its way out of his mouth as Mariku gave a gentle thrust. Sex had always been the one line he'd never crossed. Isis had assumed he had long ago and he'd been treated to numerous lectures that begged him be careful because he'd never bothered explaining to her that he was a virgin. He'd just never found someone where the interest went deeply enough both ways for it to get that far. Mariku, however, was doing an excellent job. "You can take me anytime, anywhere."

Mariku purred. "That's what I like to hear. I'm going to take you up on that soon." He punctuated his words with another deliberate swivel before regrettably forcing himself to back up a bit. Most of the time he didn't care about how he looked or what other people thought of him, but he was - annoyingly enough - aware that having sex on television was crossing a line that even he shouldn't breach. It was the kind of thing that would reflect badly on the royal family and would probably treat him to an extensive lecture from Atemu, and he got more than enough of those as it was.

A pout crossed Malik's lips and he couldn't help giving the camerawoman an annoyed look. He'd never been with anyone before, and Mariku might have been a stranger, but the way Mariku's hands danced over his skin made him want more. "I don't want to climb that stupid cliff," he declared.

"I bet there are some caves. We could go exploring," Mariku suggested. There was about two inches of space between them and it was two inches too much. He was delighted when Malik lit up with a receptive smile. Of course, the fact that the camerawoman let out a groan as the two of them took off down the beach only served to make the experience that much more delightful.

**YY**

The small shell was a smooth, creamy pink color, dotted with little swirls of purple and mottled green. Ryou rubbed his finger over it thoughtfully. It felt a little like porcelain, but more fragile, even though it would take considerable strength to break it. He liked that about it. He held it safely in the palm of his hand and kept walking, searching the sand for any more. His neighbor's little girl loved anything that she deemed to be pretty and Ryou suspected that the shells he'd found would fit the requirement.

When he turned, he could just make out the sight of Jou and Seto scrambling towards the top of the cliff, both trying to be the first one to get up there. They seemed to be the only ones actually interested in doing the day's activity. He'd noticed Yuugi and Yami heading up the cliff by way of trail, and Malik and Mariku heading in the opposite direction down the beach at full speed. And there was no sign of Bakura, which meant Ryou didn't have a partner. That didn't exactly crush him. He didn't really like heights, so the thought of trying to scale a cliff wasn't overly appealing, and he was just as glad to have an excuse to slip away.

He'd just stooped to pick up another shell, this one a soft mauve with dots of pale violet, when he heard a deep voice cursing a blue streak somewhere in front of him. Arching an eyebrow, Ryou straightened and walked forward, peeking around the jutting corner of the cliff wall, only to find his missing partner. Bakura was seated on the sand, face twisted in pain. His right foot was balanced on his left knee and as Ryou got closer he could see that there was a shard of a shell sticking out of the bottom of Bakura's foot. Blood was flowing freely around the wound, painting the golden sand a lurid shade of crimson.

"That looks painful," he observed.

Bakura glared at him. "It's fine," he said resentfully, a scowl crossing his face. On anyone else, it might have even been a pout.

"That doesn't_ look_ fine." Ryou turned to the cameraman that had been following him. "I'm sorry. I know it's not your job, but do you think you could fetch me a first-aid kit? I know you must have one somewhere around here."

The man hesitated, but after receiving the full force of Ryou's sweet smile, gave in and jogged down the beach towards the climbing site. Ryou knelt beside Bakura, setting his shells down on the sand, and took Bakura's foot. He propped it up in his lap and began examining the wound with an experienced eye, running his fingers over the curve of the sole to assess the damage. The wound was smaller than he'd first guessed, about three inches in diameter, but deep, and the fragment of shell was sharp. It would have pierced the flesh easily as soon as Bakura's full weight came down on top of it.

"Will I live?" Bakura asked sarcastically as the cameraman returned.

"If you take good care of it, you might even keep your foot." He accepted the first aid kit with a grateful smile and opened it, pleased to discover that it was fully stocked with antibacterial wipes, gauze, bandages, ointment, and a small emergency sutures kit. There was even a small vial of local anesthetic and a couple of needles. Ryou looked up. "You can go to the hospital or I can take care of it. Your call."

"You're a doctor?"

"Not yet," Ryou replied.

Bakura shrugged.

Taking that as a yes, Ryou hummed softly under his breath as he pulled on a pair of the gloves, fetched a pair of tweezers, and then began cleaning the blood from Bakura's heel. This was something he knew how to do, something he had done enough times to feel comfortable with, though it had been a while. For the first time in days, he felt like he was in his element as he took the cap off of the needle and pushed the plunger into the top of the vial. He drew it up and made sure there was no air left inside before he carefully injected the liquid around the cut.

"That will need a minute to kick in. How did you step on this, anyway? What were you doing?"

Dark eyes scowled at him. "I wasn't doing anything. Just walking around. I took my shoes off. I didn't know there would be knives in the sand."

Ryou held back a laugh, knowing it likely wouldn't go over well, and shook his head. "Not quite like Egypt, eh?" he asked softly, picking up the tweezers. He grasped the edge of the shard and pulled, sliding it out of the wound with a quick twist of his wrist. Immediately, he pressed a cloth to the gash, soaking up the blood that was coming much more quickly as he deposited the shard onto the sand. "Hold still. Don't move."

Removing the cloth, he began to work, focusing completely on placing a tiny suture on either end of the cut before adding one in the middle. It didn't take very long. Bakura was a surprisingly easy patient, holding perfectly still even when it must have stung. Ryou was unnervingly aware of those eyes on his face the whole time, but he pretended not to notice. When the sutures were done, he dabbed on a bit of the ointment to help it heal more quickly before adding a small bandage to keep the wound clean.

"There," he said with a cheerful smile. "All done."

Bakura looked at him before pulling his foot up and inspecting the bottom of it. "You've done this before."

"A few times, yeah. I'm used to it."

"You're a medical student?"

"Sort of." Ryou used one of the wipes to clean his hands. It would do until he was able to find a place to properly wash. To avoid the scrutiny of Bakura's gaze, he began putting the kit back together. "You'll want to stay off your foot for a few days."

"I don't have time for that kind of thing. It will be fine."

"You sound very confident," he observed, amused. "I'm guessing that's not your first wound."

"Far from it." Bakura leaned back on his arms.

"You should be more careful," Ryou muttered, pressing the snaps back into place. He stood up and brushed the sand from his clothing, then leaned down and picked up the shells. "Do you need some help getting back to the site?"

From the look on Bakura's face, he was about two seconds from saying a firm no. It surprised both of them when what came out was, "Yes".

Ryou hesitated only briefly. "Alright." He moved closer and bent down, grabbing Bakura's arm. Bakura stood up awkwardly, wobbling on only one foot, and wrapped an arm around Ryou's shoulders. Ryou picked up the first aid kit and tucked it under his opposite arm as they began a slow, meandering hobble back down the beach. With every step, their feet sank deeply into the sand, making walking difficult. He was breathing hard before they'd gone very far and he was suddenly very aware of how hot it was.

"Not used to the heat?" Bakura asked after about two minutes of listening to the gasping and panting.

Cheeks pink with exertion, Ryou blew out a breath and shook his head. "I could go for some air conditioning," he managed to squeak. "Or some ice cream. Or… anything that's not hot."

"Find me a car and we'll be in business."

"You haven't got the keys."

Bakura just looked at him.

"Oh. Oh, alright." He turned away, feeling a little embarrassed. Stealing a car was wrong, but… It was extremely warm out and they weren't going to go far. He'd make sure that they paid for the gas, and besides, hadn't Mai said that they could have whatever they needed? "Let's see if we can find the car of that annoying make-up girl who insists on tying my hair back all the time."

"_You're_ not as annoying as I thought you'd be," Bakura said, something that sounded dangerously close to approval seeping through his voice.

Ryou shot him a smirk. "You haven't seen anything yet."

**YY**

Climbing was hard, harder than Jou had anticipated it would be. He breathed out, digging his nails into the rock he was clinging to. His ankles and calves were burning from the effort and it seemed like he couldn't get enough air into his lungs no matter how hard he tried. The sun was glaring into his eyes and he shut them, feeling slightly dizzy. The skin on his face felt weird and tight, and sweat was making his grip slippery. He was relieved for the presence of the harness around his chest and thighs, even if it did make the whole experience look distinctly less cool than he would have liked.

"Hey, mutt. Enjoying yourself?"

Jou gritted his teeth and opened his eyes to glare at Seto, detesting the smug look present in those cool blue eyes. Seto looked calm and comfortable, swinging from the ledge as easily as though it was something he did every single day. "Fuck off," he grunted, turning back to face the rock. He glanced up and took a deep breath, blinking sweat out of his eyes. Was it his imagination or was the rock above him actually shimmering and swaying in the sun? No, that was impossible.

"Hey, Jounouchi-kun, you doing alright?" Kurumi called down. If he craned his head back that far to look up at her, all he could see were black spots dancing in front of his eyes, but he knew that she was up there, somewhere a good fifty feet above his head, waiting to pull them over the side. Her presence should have been comforting but it wasn't.

"I'm fine," he shouted back, giving his head a toss. It was the sun playing tricks on his eyes and nothing more. Determinedly, he reached up for the next hold, feeling for a safe spot to put his fingers. His hand had gone a little numb, but that didn't stop him. Nothing would stop him. Resolutely, he pressed his fingers down, making sure the hold was secure, before he lifted his weight off of his right foot and scraped it across the rock, searching for another ledge to set his weight on. Dizziness swarmed over him as he boosted himself up another few feet and for a moment he hung there, disjointed, the world spinning around him on all sides.

"Jounouchi!" A cool hand pressed against the back of his shoulder, and then an arm was braced around his back. He was distantly aware that he was taking in huge gulps of air, too fast. None of it was getting to his lungs and the resulting lightheadedness made his knees feel weak. "Lower us to the ground!"

"No… m'fine…" he mumbled, valiantly trying to shake off the grip. Seto merely tightened his hold, pulling Jou into his side more snugly as there was a disorienting feeling of weightlessness from above. Both of them tipped backwards into space and he jolted, terrified and clinging to Seto for the brief second before their legs hit the ground. He slumped down onto the sand immediately and felt someone roll him over onto his back.

"What's wrong with him?" Seto demanded.

"Heat exhaustion, looks like." Fingers unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his bare chest. Something cold was placed around his neck and under his arms. A bottle was pressed to his mouth and he drank, tasting water flavored with spices and mint. "I warned the producers that it was too hot for rock climbing, but they wouldn't listen. Said that you'd all be fine."

"Why were we sent up there if that was an issue?"

"Look, I'm just here to do my job. I warned them about the dangers and they insisted that you guys had been properly informed. I've got the forms signed if you want to read them." Shinta's voice - he recognized her now - softened a bit. "He'll be fine, really. He'll be dizzy and tired for the rest of the day but it won't affect him too much if he rests for a while. Can you stay with him? I need to go talk to the woman who signed these forms stating that you guys had experience with this."

"Take the camera with you."

"We're supposed to remain with you, Kaiba-san - "

"Get. Out." If possible, Seto's voice was even colder than the compresses that had been packed around Jou. It was no wonder that the camerawoman gave a squeak of what sounded like pure terror and scuttled away after Shinta. Seto huffed and knelt beside him, tracing icy fingers over Jou's forehead. "You still with me, Pup?"

"I'm not a dog, Kaiba," Jou muttered, finding it infinitely easier to open his eyes this time. Black spots were still visible, but at least he could make out beyond them now. He felt foolish for not having recognized the symptoms before. He'd gotten heat stroke once before after spending the day at the beach with Shizuka. They'd been little kids at the time, too foolish to know when they should come in out of the heat. The physical exertion and higher altitude probably hadn't been helping the situation. But he loathed admitting defeat, hated that Seto had been the one to help him down the cliff. It was humiliating.

"Yes, you are. Drink this." Seto pressed the bottle back to his lips before Jou could protest. He narrowed his eyes angrily but drank greedily, sucking the spiced water down as fast as he could drink it. A muffled sound of protest escaped when Seto pulled it away. "You need to pace yourself," he explained. "Drinking too much at once will just make you throw it all up again."

"What would you know?"

"More than you, apparently, considering that you didn't know enough to give up when you started being unable to see the cliff right in front of you." He collected the drops of perspiration from the bottle and swept them over his forehead. The liquid felt temporarily cool before it evaporated. "You could've passed out."

"I was fine," Jou said again, but with less conviction this time. Alright, it had been a little foolish, but… "I'll beat you next time, Kaiba."

Seto smirked and tipped the bottle in his direction. "I look forward to you trying, Pup."

Jou muttered something less than complimentary under his breath and decided to try sitting up. The world tilted a little, but it wasn't too bad. Seto handed him another bottle of the spiced water and he took it, sipping at the liquid gradually this time instead of gulping it down. Gradually, he began to feel steadier, and he shook his head. "I hope that part doesn't make it on to television."

"Concerned that your reputation will take a beating?"

"I haven't got a reputation." Not anymore. Not after he began hanging around with Yuugi, Ryou and Malik. The only reputation he had now was that it was well known that he'd kick the ass of anyone who tried to touch his three friends. Anything else, he had long since learned, didn't matter. "I'm more worried about my little sister seeing it. I'll never hear the end of it if she finds out I tried to climb a cliff and got heat stroke in the process."

"Heat exhaustion," Seto corrected automatically. "You have a sister?"

"Yeah. Her name is Shizuka. She lives with my mom in town. I'm hoping to go visit her while we're here." He felt a little fizzle of excitement all over again at the thought. It had been a while since he and Shizuka had had the chance to visit. Their mother - well, _her _mother, really - did her best to keep them apart and neither of them had enough money to make the expensive trip on their own, considering that they'd also need a place to stay.

"You don't get to see her very often."

"No." Jou didn't know why he admitted that. Normally he made it a point to not talk about Shizuka with anyone.

Seto looked at him and there was something thoughtful in his blue eyes. Jou blinked back at him, realizing for the first time that Seto actually had very nice eyes when he wasn't busy being a total bastard. Just when it seemed like Seto might say something, Shinta returned with Yuugi, Yami, Malik and Mariku in tow, and Seto turned away, preoccupying himself with tossing his empty bottle into the nearest knapsack. Yuugi took one look at Jou and was by his side instantly. Malik joined them a moment later, kneeling down in the sand.

"Heat exhaustion?" he asked knowingly, fingers checking for Jou's pulse.

"Yeah. Stop that, you'll turn into Ryou."

Malik shot him a Look for the comment and ignored him. "You'll live."

"That's comforting."

"Where is Ryou?" Yuugi asked, looking around.

"Bakura's missing, too," Yami noted, exchanging a look with Mariku. The words "Bakura" and "missing" had never gone well for anyone. He suddenly feared for the city.

The implication made Jou giggle and whistle. "Wow, Ryou."

"Did you just _giggle_?" Malik stared at him and then started to smirk as he took his cell phone out of his pocket. He lined it up just right and snapped a quick picture. "Right, that's it. I think you need to go back to the hotel for a rest. Come on, stand up."

"Put the phone away first, Malik," Yuugi said wearily, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"But it's good blackmail!"

"_Malik_."

The blond pouted but slipped his phone back into his pocket. "You're no fun, Yuugi."

Yuugi sighed. He'd been having a pleasant walk with Yami and he was disappointed that it had been interrupted by Shinta telling them that Jou had collapsed. Jou seemed a little tipsy, but it was no worse than when he was drunk. Still, he supposed it was better to be safe than sorry. "Can we just go back to the hotel?"

"I'll let the drivers know that we're ready to go," said Mariku, hooking his arm through Malik's. The two of them headed back across the sand towards the parking lot. Yuugi watched them go with a thoughtful smile, pleased that Malik seemed to be feeling a little happier. Maybe Mariku would be good for him after all. He made a mental note to text Isis and let her know that Malik was doing well, since Malik probably wouldn't.

"Come on, pup," Seto said. He leaned down and grabbed Jou's arm, hauling the slightly shorter man effortlessly to his feet. Jou staggered and nearly fell over, but Seto caught him around the waist at the last minute and propped him up. The change in position made him dizzy and he groaned softly, allowing Seto put an arm around his waist. Taking even one step required more energy than he felt like he had to give, but Seto began murmuring encouragement and he somehow found the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

"I think they're good for each other," Yami said.

"Who? Malik and Mariku?"

"Well, them too, but I was actually referring to Seto and Jou. My cousin desperately needs someone who isn't afraid to argue with him." Yami smiled faintly. "He spends all of his time with the three of us or his little brother. He tends to look down on the rest of society. I've always thought it would be nice if he found someone who could give as good as he gets."

"That's Jou alright," Yuugi said with a laugh. Shinta and Kurumi were approaching with intent to clean up the sight, so he and Yami began walking after the others. "Maybe this could work out after all."

Yami glanced at him and then reached out and took Yuugi's hand, giving it a warm squeeze. "Maybe it could."

* * *

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! For everyone who said they were missing Yami and Yuugi, this chapter should make you feel a lot better. Enjoy!

* * *

"This is so frustrating." Atemu stared into his closet and pushed his clothing aside uselessly, dissatisfied by the choices being offered to him. His next date with Yuugi was taking place within a couple of hours and wardrobe would not be coming to help. Apparently the producers thought it would be 'adorable' if they picked out their own clothing. Made for a more realistic feel, they said. He was half tempted to pick out something that was truly heinous in revenge, but as a prince he didn't really own anything like that. Everything he had was expensive and tailored and completely not right for the kind of date he had planned.

"By Ra," he muttered, sitting down on the bed and putting his head in his hands. He sighed when there was a knock on the door and looked up wearily. "Come in."

The door opened immediately. Mai poked her head in. "Hi!"

It was only years of ingrained manners that stopped him from visibly cringing. "Hello, Mai-san," he greeted, turning back to his closet. He wished that she would go away. He hadn't been lying when he'd explained to Yuugi that Mai was another one of those people who looked at him the way everyone else seemed to: with greed written into their eyes. It got very tiring after a while, especially because he wasn't the least bit interested in women after Vivian. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Mai said, entering the room without asking. She walked over to the bed and began picking the rejected clothing. "The producers have decided that they would like to do little confessionals. It's a bit late in the game but they think it would really add something to the show, especially where today is the day when you're planning your first date. Nothing much, just a little you time for the camera. You could talk about how you think the experience is going, or what you're feeling about Yuugi, or… anything really. So if you could get dressed and come with me…" She turned to him with an encouraging smile. "We could tape you and then get you on your way to meet Yuugi."

Atemu stared at her for a long moment. There was probably no way to explain how very much he did _not_ want to do that. The thought of trying to put to word all of the confusing thoughts buzzing around in his mind made him feel sick. "I'm not sure I want to do that, Mai-san. Most of my feelings about Yuugi are very private."

"I know. I understand. But you did agree to do whatever we asked within reason," she pointed out. "I mean, it's not that big of a deal. It would help to show people that you're not as cold or confident as you seem." She hit her open palm with her fist, looking excited. "We'd be able to get to the heart of you, expose the real Atemu, err, Yami, to the world. And we're going to ask Yuugi to do the same thing, if that's what you were concerned about."

It wasn't. In fact, it only made him feel worse. If Yuugi felt anything for him, he wanted to be the first one to know. He shifted uneasily, glad that he could hide his expression in the depths of the closet, and finally gave a reluctant sigh. "Very well. If it's really that important, I suppose I could say something brief." Part of the reason he had agreed to come on the show was to help his people get to know him better. Most of Egypt only knew him as Prince Atemu, the cold young man who would someday be their pharaoh, and he wanted them to know that he was more than that, even if it meant doing something humiliating.

"Excellent! Now I wanted to ask you what you have planned today. Apparently some lines were crossed because no one seems to know." She looked at him expectantly.

"I haven't told anyone," he replied calmly, taking one of his very few casual pairs of jeans out of the closet and holding them up for inspection. He didn't want to dress too formally, but nor did he want to look too laid-back. It was hard to find the perfect balance when he didn't know what Yuugi would be wearing.

"Now Yami, we can't have you hiding secrets from us," she scolded him playfully. "We need to know if there's anything we have to get ready ahead of time. Sometimes these places need to have additional lighting or equipment for sound set up."

"I'm sure it will be fine." After the rocky dates they'd shared he wanted to have a fun time with Yuugi where they could both be themselves. He resolved, someday soon, to get both of them out from under the persistent gaze of the cameras. Screw the rules; it wasn't like they would be able to do anything about it.

Mai frowned, obviously frustrated. "You can't give me any hints at all?" she whined, pouting. "Come on. I won't tell anyone. At least let me know so that I can see if it crosses over with anything we've already got planned. A lot of people spent months planning these dates, you know. They'll need as much time as possible if it turns out that your plans overlap."

"They won't." That, at least, he knew for a fact. He tossed the jeans on the bed and picked up one of his favorite shirts before giving Mai a pointed look. She was trying to guilt him and she didn't seem to be pleased that it wasn't working. "I have to get dressed. Would you mind?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. I'll wait for you outside." She didn't sound very sorry, but he supposed that would be expecting too much from her. He waited until she finally left the room before stripping his clothing off. There wouldn't be enough time for him to clean up the mess he'd made but he knew that if Bakura returned before he did, he would just summon one of the hotel's maids and bribe or threaten (or both, depending on his mood) them into cleaning the room.

He ended up rejecting the jeans in favor of a tighter pair of black pants and dressed quickly, not wanting to keep Mai waiting any longer than he had to – she seemed like the type of girl who would become progressively more annoyed the longer she was left to stew, just like Vivian – and put on a pair of shoes. As a final touch, he put a leather armband around his left bicep and added a couple of chains that draped around his waist before dangling down one leg. It wasn't often he had the chance to dress however he liked and he was going to make the most of it. He liked what he saw in the mirror, so after grabbing a light jacket he sauntered over to the door.

"What do you think of – oh." Mai's eyes went wide when she saw him and she was temporarily struck speechless.

"Something wrong?" He raised an eyebrow at her, hoping that his amusement didn't show on his face.

"Good _god_ no," she breathed, openly scanning him from head to toe. "You know, I've never had the chance to see you in your full royal outfit, but I'd like to."

"Maybe someday you will," he muttered, hoping that she never found out there were pictures online. "Can we go? I'm supposed to meet Yuugi in front of the hotel in less than an hour."

"Oh, yes. This way." She led him down the hall towards the elevators, but instead of turning left they went right, deeper into the hotel. "Keep going until you find this room," she instructed, passing over a card. "I'm not allowed to go with you. This confessional is supposed to be made in private and they don't want to take the chance of anyone eavesdropping in case that changes what you might or might not say. So once you get there, just go in, sit down and say your piece. The camera is activated on a motion sensor so you won't have to worry about turning it on or off. You won't have a microphone attached to your collar so make sure to speak clearly and loudly. We don't want to have to do a re-taping of it later. Never get quite the same result the second time around." She muttered something unintelligible under her breath before clapping him on the shoulder. "Good luck!"

"Thanks." He lingered, watching her walk back the way they had come, before he kept going until he found the right room. It was a moderately sized place, big enough for a double bed and not much else. At the moment it held only a straight-backed chair and a video camera set up on a tripod. A blinking red light came on as soon as he entered the room. Atemu eased the door shut and squared his shoulders before walking across the room and sitting down. The camera, he noticed, was at exactly the right height to focus on his face and upper shoulders. He assumed it was on, which meant he was supposed to start talking, but for all of his practice in public speaking his mind went completely blank as soon as he was looking into the lenses. What was he supposed to say?

"I'm supposed to talk about how this is going," he began awkwardly, lacing his fingers together to avoid fidgeting. It wouldn't be visible on the camera but he'd been taught from a young age that showing anxiety like that was unacceptable. "Truthfully, I don't really want to do that. I might be on a dating show but I have always endeavored to keep my private life just that." He swallowed hard, his mouth dry. "Being a prince means that I have to share so much of myself with my people, and though I have never once minded - in fact, I'm honored that you would desire so much of me - this is something that is very… well, private.

"Still, I recognize that I have signed a contract and I've been told that it's very important I do this so here goes." He looked up. "I like Yuugi very much. He's not at all what I was expecting. I had reservations about coming here because I was afraid that I would be matched up with someone I didn't get along with. I've dated many people in my life but, as you know, the relationships didn't work out for a variety of reasons. I want someone who likes me for me." A self-conscious smile came and went, almost too quick to be seen. "Well, I guess that's what everyone wants. It might sound silly for a prince to want that too, but there you go.

"I'm not supposed to see or talk to him much while we're not on our dates. I find that bothers me. I want to spend time with him and get to know him better. He intrigues me. In this day and age, I had no idea that it was possible for someone to find so much joy in their lives from such simple things. If I could, I would learn that ability from him. I think we could all benefit from that." He shifted and blinked, looking away for a moment. "I've planned out our date today but I don't know how it will go. That was always taken care of in the past so, like everything else on this show, it was a new experience for me. I hope that Yuugi likes where we're going. I hope he has fun. I hope he likes me." The last few words slipped out before he could stop them and he flushed ever so slightly at how young they made him sound. He realized that he had best wrap it up quick before he made a fool of himself.

"It seems like the others are getting along well, too. Mariku can't shut up about Malik. I'm pretty sure Bakura has gone out to see Ryou. Well, nothing and no one can keep Bakura away from something once he decides that he wants it. And Seto will kill me if he hears I said this but he seems to be more taken with Jou than he wants to admit." Atemu paused, trying to think of something else to add. But his mind was blank. Anything more and he would start descending into territory that was dangerously closing to gushing and/or pathetic musing. "I haven't told Yuugi the truth yet, but I think that maybe he could understand."

It wasn't the best ending in the world, but Atemu stood up, turned, and made his way out of the room. His knees felt weak and he leaned against the wall once the door was shut behind him. Strange. He'd played in duels before thousands of people, even made the occasional speech in front of all of Egypt, and never skipped a beat. Even the thought of talking on national television didn't bother him. But the fact that that five minute confessional, badly timed pauses and all, was over made him feel lightheaded with relief. Now if he could just get through the date with Yuugi…

**YY**

Within two seconds of Malik and Jou walking into Yuugi's bedroom, Malik took over choosing Yuugi's outfit while Jou threw himself down on the bed and tucked his hands under his head. "I'm going to see Shizuka," he offered, hoping to distract his clearly nervous friend.

"You are? Today?"

"Yup. She and I have been trying to make plans for the past few days." Jou didn't think it was necessary to explain that, for every plan they made, her mother had three more plans to interrupt them. She was determined to keep Shizuka away from Jou no matter what it took, and short of sneaking out, which Shizuka would never do and Jou wouldn't want her to, they were at a bit of a loss. He was hoping that if he showed up while her mother was at work they'd be able to spend at least a bit of time together. All he wanted was to see his baby sister. Was that really so wrong?

"How are you going to get there? What will you do?" Yuugi asked, accepting the jeans Malik was handing to him. He pulled them on and fastened them, then took the shirt.

"I'll find a way." Shizuka lived on the opposite side of town, on the very outskirts. When they'd moved originally it had been necessary for rent because her medical costs were so expensive, and they hadn't moved since. The chances of the show giving him a car and a driver were slim to none since he wouldn't agree to have the reunion be taped. This would be private and it would stay that way. He didn't have much money so a cab ride was out of the question. He'd have to see if the city had an underground that went out to Shizuka's house. Otherwise, well, he would walk if necessary. The solid three hours it would take to get there and back would be worth it.

"Well, say hello to her for me. I wish I could go with you." Yuugi looked a little wistful. He had only met Shizuka a handful of times but she was a very sweet girl and Jou became a completely different person around her. It was adorable to see him acting like such a protective big brother.

"I will." Jou grinned. "What're you up to today, Malik?"

"I have plans with Mariku," Malik replied, running his hands through Yuugi's hair. He frowned critically and tugged one a few strands of blond, ignoring Yuugi's protest.

"You have _plans_?" He flicked his eyebrows upward, the implication obvious, and both of them were fascinated to see Malik's cheeks coloring a pale pink in response.

"Yes, not that it's any of your business." Malik's warning glance took both of them in. He sounded defensive when he added, "I don't want to hear it. I like Mariku and we're not going to do anything too ridiculous. I just want to have some fun, that's all. I promise to be careful and not get too carried away."

"We didn't say anything," Yuugi pointed out gently, pushing Malik's hands away. "I'm happy for you, Malik, if you like Mariku that much. Just remember, though, that when this is all over they'll be going back to Egypt. From what I hear, all of them are fairly important there. So I wouldn't get too attached unless you would be willing to make that kind of move."

Malik stared at him thoughtfully. "What about you, Yuugi? Would you be willing to make the move if you fell in love with Yami?"

Yuugi blinked, startled, and then flushed. "I don't know. I guess I would have to think about it. It's a long way."

"Besides, who says that Yuugi would be the one who had to move?" Jou added, rolling over onto his stomach. "Maybe Yami would have to."

An odd little smirk quirked Malik's lips and he shook his head. "Maybe you should both consider taking that advice before you go around imparting it to others," he said, though not unkindly. "I think you're right, Yuugi, when you said that Yami is someone important in Egypt. I get the same feeling from what Mariku has said." He paused briefly before giving Yuugi a serious look. "I know you think that I'm the wild and irresponsible one, but take it from me. Get to know Yami very well before you give him your heart."

Yuugi hesitated before responding. Perhaps, he realized, Malik was right. He'd only been here for a short while and he already had a massive crush on Yami. He did not want to end this by having his heart broken again. "I'll remember that," he said at last. "Now, how do I look?" He turned towards them and held his hands out for judgment.

"I think you look good," said Jou, giving the light jeans and violet shirt a passing glance.

"Me too," Malik said with an approving nod.

There was a pause and then Yuugi tilted his head. "Where's Ryou?"

"I'm fairly sure I saw him slipping out this morning. He said something about Bakura needing medical attention." There was a smirk on Malik's face that only grew wider when Yuugi's jaw dropped. "To be fair, I think Bakura actually _does _need medical attention. He's been limping around the hotel for the past two days ever since we came back from the cliff. But still. Someone else that could heed your advice, Yuugi."

Yuugi shook his head slowly. "What are we all doing here?" he asked somewhat helplessly.

"We're here to have fun," Jou told him before Malik could respond. He bounced off of the bed and stood up. "I'm off. Gotta see what time the train leaves. Have fun, Yuugi!"

Malik waited until the door was closed before he looked at Yuugi. "We're playing a game," he said patiently. "And to win it all we have to risk everything. You're the best duelist in Japan, Yuugi. You could easily become the King of Games if you attended the right competitions." He dusted his hands off, heading for the door. "I guess you have to decide if you're willing to take that risk."

Those words stuck with Yuugi for a long time after Malik left the room, kept swirling around in his mind as he walked down the hall towards the confessional room. Mai had woken up him early that morning to fill him in and she had insisted that he be there at exactly half past one so that he didn't risk bumping into Yami. Though her demands had been annoying at first, he was now glad of them. He had no desire to see Yami until the storm of confusion had passed. What, he wondered, was Malik playing at? The blond seemed to be moving unreasonably fast, but there was a part of Yuugi that envied him.

He pushed his way into the room and sat down on the chair. The camera was aimed towards his face but strangely, he didn't feel nervous. He said, "After meeting Yami the first time, I felt confused. Now that I've had the opportunity to spend a little more time with him, I feel apprehensive, like I'm on the cusp of something that will either be really good or really bad. And I don't know which one it will be."

The red light continued to blink. He licked his lips and went on, "I like Yami. I like him a lot. Sometimes I think I like him too much considering that I've only known him for less than a week. I've never been the kind of person who moves fast. I was in love with my first girlfriend for years before we finally began dating. This is completely unfamiliar to me and I admit that I'm a little out of my depth here." Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard to talk to the camera as he had been expecting. The words were coming fairly easily. He straightened up a little and tilted his head, watching his reflection in the lenses.

"But maybe that's what I like. Yami is so different to anything I've known before." Yuugi lowered his chin and smiled slightly, eyes softening. "I can't say how the date will go today or where I think that this relationship might go or if we even have one considering that we haven't even broached the topic." He decided not to mention their little chat by the pool. "But I can say that right now I'm not sorry I came."

It wasn't the best ending but he had nothing more to say, and after a moment he shrugged and stood up. Mai was waiting outside the door when he came out, leaning against the opposite wall. Yuugi raised an eyebrow when he saw her. "I thought these are supposed to be private?" he said, closing the door behind him. Not that it bothered him all that much; that so-called confessional would soon be seen on national television by thousands of people, so even if it was private it wouldn't have stayed that way for long. Still, he enjoyed needling her.

Mai's face flushed a little and he knew he'd caught her out. She pushed herself off of the wall and stepped forward. "I was waiting to collect the tape," she said. "It's not like I'm overly interested in what you were saying. I'll be able to see what you said anyway once it's edited."

"Or you could just ask," Yuugi said with a hint of a sardonic smile. He probably would've told her, too, before she'd tried to eavesdrop.

"I'm not supposed to be involved," Mai said diplomatically, in the way of one who knew they were doing a crap job of it.

"Good luck with that." Yuugi turned away and left her there.

* * *

Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews. So glad people still like this story! Enjoy.

* * *

Yuugi knew he was going to be late if he didn't hurry and, fortunately, Mai didn't chase after him. The elevator took him swiftly down to the hotel lobby, and he went straight outside to where Yami had said they would be meeting. It only took a second for him to spot Yami in the crowd and he swallowed hard as he approached, feeling a pang deep in his belly. Yami looked fucking fantastic, to put it mildly, in a pair of tight pants that may very well have been leather and a shirt that showed off his lithe muscles to the fullest. He was talking to Seto but he stopped when Yuugi approached, offering a warm smile that made Yuugi squirm.

"Good morning, Yuugi," he said.

"Hi Yami," Yuugi said, mouth dry. "Seto."

"Yuugi." Seto nodded and glanced away. Yuugi followed his gaze and spotted Jou sitting on a bench in front of the building. He was bent over nearly double, arms propped on his knees, head in his hands. The depressed slump of his shoulders told Yuugi that he hadn't been successful in finding a way to Shizuka.

Grimacing, Yuugi looked at Yami. "Give me a second?" he requested, already heading over to Jou.

"Over a hundred dollars," Jou said without looking up as soon as the shadow fell over him. "That's how much it costs to get a cab there. One way."

"And there's no public transportation," Yuugi concluded, taking a seat beside him.

"No. Why would there be? It's not like that would've been something she'd look into when she bought the place, considering that she would never let Shizuka go anywhere on her own." He let out an aggravated sigh and pounded his fists lightly on his thighs. "Shizuka warned me that I'd have a hard time getting there but I wasn't expecting it to be this bad." Finally, he lifted his head and gave Yuugi a weak smile. "I was just going to get ready to start walking."

"You're going to walk? Jou, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because you were suffering from heat exhaustion a couple of days ago, that's why. You still get dizzy and tired easily and you're not eating as much as you normally do." Yuugi narrowed his eyes. "I know you're not supposed to be on bed rest or anything like that, but what happens if you get halfway there and you can't continue?"

Jou pressed his lips together into a firm line. "That wouldn't happen," he said, though there wasn't much conviction in his voice.

Yuugi sighed. "I just don't think it's a good idea."

"I _have_ to go, Yuugi. I promised her that I would while I was in the city." Jou looked anguished. The last time he'd spoken to Shizuka, she had been completely thrilled at the prospect of seeing her big brother again. He'd never forgive himself if he had to disappoint her by being unable to get there. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I can take a bus to the other side of town and then walk if that makes you feel better. It will probably take longer but the walk will be a little shorter."

"Or we could hire a car." Both of them looked up in surprise. Yami was standing right in front of them, arms folded loosely across his chest. "Sorry for listening," he said, not sounding very apologetic. "But Seto has a license to drive in Japan. We could easily hire a car and drive you there."

"Really?" Jou's eyes widened slightly. He was less thrilled about Seto coming along, but he would do anything to see Shizuka, even spend time with the annoying man. "But you guys had a date, right?"

"I don't mind giving up on our date," Yami replied, "if Yuugi doesn't."

"I don't mind at all," Yuugi said quickly. Okay, he minded a little. He had been looking forward to whatever Yami had planned. But this, he knew, was far more important. They could go out on a date later. "How will we escape the cameras, though?"

Yami smiled. "Leave that to me. Seto's gone to get the car. He'll pick you up around the back of the hotel, Jou, and then you'll come get us at a prearranged spot." He held a hand out to Yuugi, who took it and allowed Yami to pull him to his feet. "You'd better go. Seto doesn't like to be kept waiting and I suspect he'll be back very soon."

Jou jumped to his feet, wavering only a little at the sudden movement, and clapped Yami on the back. "Thanks man," he said excitedly, heading towards the side of the building at a quick jog.

"That was very kind of you," Yuugi observed, giving Yami's hand a squeeze. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. Like I said, I don't mind." A wry smile tugged at Yami's lips. "If I'm being honest, I was actually relieved. I have to confess that I wasn't really sure what we were going to do for our date today. I don't know this city very well. Getting Jou to his sister, and having the opportunity to get out from under those cameras for a while, sounds much more interesting."

"I'm sure whatever you came up with would have been fun." Yuugi hadn't really stopped to consider that Yami didn't know the city at all. At least now he thought he knew exactly what they could do next time. "Still, this is better than anything I could have thought of. You have no idea how long Jou has been waiting to see Shizuka again."

"Bad divorce?"

"More like his mother just took Shizuka and walked away one morning." He could still remember how distraught Jou had been. They hadn't been close at the time, but it was evident to anyone that Jou felt completely lost without his sister. Sometimes he thought that Jou had never gotten past it. "I don't think their parents ever got divorced." He hesitated slightly, wondering how much would be alright to share. "Jou's father isn't exactly the most stable of people all the time and his mother was tired of it, I think." He hoped Yami wouldn't ask why she hadn't taken Jou as well. That would definitely be crossing a line.

Yami didn't say anything for a moment. Then he said, "That sounds like it would be very hard on Jou."

"It was." Yuugi sighed. "Like I said, he doesn't get to see his sister very often. Their mother does what she can to keep them apart. And it doesn't help that Shizuka was sick."

"With what?"

"I'm not sure what the exact term was. Some degenerative eye disease." They began drifting back towards the hotel and he was pleased to note that Yami didn't let go of his hand. He went on, "She was diagnosed when she was a child and it just kept getting worse as she got older. Eventually she would have gone blind. The surgery that would have fixed the damage cost a fortune and neither of their parents could afford it. She's fine now, though. She had the surgery a few years ago and her sight is about as good as it could be. Jou was actually the one who ended up saving her."

"How?" Yami asked, looking fascinated. "I thought high school students weren't allowed to have jobs here."

"We're not. Not unless it's for a family owned business like my grandfather's shop. I told you I used to duel. Jou did, too. He had this idea of participating in tournaments to win money. I decided to help him and between the two of us we were able to earn enough." He deliberately kept his face tilted away. Truthfully,_ Yuugi_ was the one who had earned that money, not Jou. But the memory of Duelist Kingdom was not really one he liked to revisit. "So you'd think that his mother would be a little more receptive to letting Jou visit her since her daughter would be blind otherwise."

"Not necessarily. Sometimes people have very strict ideas about what their children should and shouldn't do," said Yami. "And you would be surprised at what they would be willing to do to make sure that happens."

Yuugi squinted at him, uncertain if that was an invitation to ask questions or not. Since he wasn't sure, he decided to let it go. "Well, regardless, Jou's been looking forward to seeing her since the show told me I could bring three friends along, so I appreciate you using up your date for this and possibly getting in trouble for it."

"I won't get into too much trouble." Yami waved his hand. "And you can make it up to me on our next date."

"Deal." Yuugi grinned and then glanced around. He could see that the limo had pulled up to the curb. There was a cameraman pointing a camera in their direction, though he was likely (hopefully) too far away to hear what they were saying. Mai was gesturing at them, trying to get their attention without speaking just in case they did catch something on tape. A few people who were walking by were giving the camera and the limo curious looks, but the crazy blonde lady waving her hands was undoubtedly garnering the most attention. Yuugi fought back the urge to laugh.

"I suppose we should go over before she gives herself a heart attack," Yami said wryly, following his gaze. "Just follow my lead, alright? Even if it seems a little odd. I've done this hundreds of times." With that, he sauntered forward, gently towing Yuugi along with him by the hand. Yuugi raised an eyebrow, deeply curious as to what Yami met by that remark, and followed, falling into step beside him. Mai's eyes zeroed in on their clasped hands as they approached and her face lit up.

"Excellent," she mouthed, giving them the thumbs up sign. Yuugi only just barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Did she really think that he and Yami were doing this just for the purpose of the show?

"Ignore her," Yami said into his ear, sliding his other arm around Yuugi's hip. He ducked his head low so that he could speak into Yuugi's ear and the camera wouldn't pick up on his lips moving. Yuugi flushed, a familiar coil of pleasure warming his belly as Yami's breath washed over his skin. "Come on, into the car."

Feeling a little weak in the knees - good god it should have been illegal for one man to have such a deliciously sexy voice - Yuugi stepped forward and opened the door. He got inside, sliding across the seat. Yami climbed in behind him and sat down opposite. When the cameraman tried to follow, Yami reached out and closed the door in his face. He winked at Yuugi and leaned forward, tapping on the plexi glass that separated them from the driver. To Yuugi's amazement, it was Seto. Seto stepped down on the accelerator and the car pulled smoothly away from the curb, leaving the cameraman and Mai behind.

"I thought you said he went to rent a vehicle?" Yuugi said.

Yami shrugged and reclined against the seat, the movement all grace. "Rent, borrow, it's all the same," he replied casually. "It was the driver's fault that he was willing to allow himself to be bribed into conveniently getting lost for the day. We needed a car and now we have one."

Yuugi shook his head in amazement. "You're not going to get in trouble, are you?"

Seto snorted from the front seat. "Probably, but he'll weasel out of it just like always," he muttered.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Cousin," Yami shot back. A jingling sound came from his pocket and he reached inside to pull out the cell phone Mai had given him. When he pressed the End button without answering, Yuugi's phone began to ring a second later. Sure enough, it was Mai. He glanced hesitantly at Yami, wondering if he should risk answering it. He felt bad for leaving her stranded. They were the stars of the show, after all, and she would no doubt get in trouble for this as well. Yami must have read what he was thinking because he reached out and gently took the phone out of Yuugi's hand.

"But Yami - "

"Shh, little one. I'll smooth things over when we return," Yami promised. He changed seats, moving over to sit next to Yuugi as Seto made a sharp right and stopped by the curb, where Jou was waiting. The blond looked a little surprised to see a limo waiting for him but he opened the back door. His eyes went wide when he saw that Yami and Yuugi were already in the car.

"Why'd you send me back here? I thought I was being picked up first," he said a little indignantly, settling into the seat that Yami had just vacated.

"Because you couldn't be seen entering the car with Yuugi and me. It would've tipped them off," Yami replied. "You wouldn't be coming along on a private date between the two of us. We needed the element of surprise."

Yep, Yami had definitely done this before. Yuugi eyed him with some amusement and was surprised to find that he was actually enjoying the little bout of intrigue that they had pulled off. It was definitely a relief to be out from under the cameras and to know that their every move was no longer being monitored. It was even nicer to sit next to Yami, so close that their thighs were touching, and know that he didn't have to worry about his reaction being caught on tape. Normally he would've been trying to smooth things over with Mai, but for once he decided to trust in Yami and just see how things went.

"What's the address, pup?" Seto asked, looking into the rear view mirror.

Jou turned an interesting shade of red. He hated being called a dog, but Seto was the one driving and that meant he was in control of the car. "121 Mizu Avenue," he replied through gritted teeth, fighting the urge to reach forward and punch Seto in the shoulder. He consoled himself with the idea that he could enact his revenge when the brunet stopped the car and turned to stare out the window as Seto typed the address into the car's GPS system.

A heavy silence fell over the car, but it wasn't necessarily a tense one. Jou was evidently lost in all thoughts about Shizuka and even Yami seemed to be preoccupied. He'd taken his cell phone out and was texting, a frown written across his face. Yuugi didn't mind. It had occurred to him, possibly somewhat belatedly, that if the camera had been intending to follow them in the car there might have been microphones hidden around to better amplify their voices. Most likely he was just being paranoid, but the idea that someone might be listening to what was supposed to be a private conversation was creepy. He closed his eyes instead, listening to the rhythmic sound of Yami's fingers hitting the keys and Jou's occasional huffs. The sound lulled him to sleep.

Some time later, Jou glanced around and noticed that Yuugi had fallen asleep. The shorter boy had slumped over slightly so he was leaning against Yami, who apparently didn't mind considering that he'd wrapped an arm around Yuugi's shoulders. He was staring down at the cell phone in his lap but he wasn't texting anymore. Jou looked at Yuugi, making sure that he was well and truly out, and then said, "So what are your intentions with my friend?"

"What?" Yami's head rose and he blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"You heard me. What're your intentions with my friend?" He folded his arms across his chest and waited for an answer. It was evident to anyone that knew Yuugi well that he already had a massive crush on Yami. That was wonderful, but Jou hadn't been able to stop thinking about Malik and what he'd said. It had been weighing on his mind all morning. But for Yuugi. Not for himself. His eyes darted towards the front seat and then away. "I promised Yuugi's grandfather that I would make sure he wasn't going to be dating someone who would break his heart again."

Yami straightened slightly. The movement caused Yuugi to shift slightly, and his head fell against Yami's chest. "My intentions are to get to know Yuugi better," he replied. "I don't know him how well enough to say anything else."

"But you're good looking and you seem nice enough. Why are you even here?" Jou asked suspiciously.

"I have my reasons and I don't believe I have to explain them to you," said Yami. Surprisingly, he didn't sound upset or annoyed by the personal questions. If anything, he seemed a little amused. "I'm not here to play with anyone, especially Yuugi. He told me about Mazaki-san and how their relationship ended badly."

"He did?" Jou stared at him, stunned. Yuugi never talked about Anzu to anyone, not even to Ryou, who was his closest confidant – the two of them shared everything. He leaned back slightly and narrowed his eyes, thinking hard. Maybe this crush on Yami went deeper than he'd been expecting, though he hoped not. At least not yet. "So you know that she was cheating on him."

"Yuugi seemed to believe that it never went that far."

"Yeah, I know. He always wants to believe the best in everyone." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "No one can say for sure. Yuugi asked us to stay out of it and we respected his wishes even though we didn't really want to. Anzu claims that she broke up with him before anything happened between her and Otogi but whether or not that's true, I have my doubts. She strung both of them along for almost six months before Otogi found out and told her she had to make up her mind." His lip curled. Sometimes he really couldn't get over how callous Anzu had acted. It was completely unlike her. She never would have even considered doing something like that when they were younger, but the more she'd gotten into the world of dance the more she had changed, and not necessarily for the better.

"Six months?" Yami's jaw dropped. "Yuugi didn't mention that."

"No, he wouldn't. For some reason he seems to want to keep Anzu's reputation intact. He's good like that. That's why I wanted to make sure you weren't here to hurt him. Because I kind of like you, Yami, and I'd hate to have to kick your ass."

"I'm not going to set out to hurt Yuugi," Yami said quietly. He looked down at Yuugi and his crimson eyes softened slightly. "Like I said, I came here hoping to find someone who could understand me. I would have settled for finding a friend. I never dared to hope that I might be fortunate enough to find something more."

Jou tilted his head, surprised by the look on Yami's face. Maybe Yuugi wasn't the only one who had a crush. He felt someone watching him and turned to see that Seto was gazing at him in the rear view mirror. Their eyes met for a long moment and a chill went down his spine before he hastily glanced away. There was something warm in Seto's expression that he couldn't identify and it made him feel, for just a second, like there was a band squeezing around his heart. He cleared his throat and went back to staring intently out the window, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment.

By the time Seto stopped the car, Yami was dozing, his head resting on top of Yuugi. The two of them looked adorable together and Jou couldn't help himself. He stole Yuugi's cell phone and took a picture of them before texting the picture to Ryou and Malik. Then he slipped the phone into his pocket – Yuugi wouldn't need it as long as he was with Yami – and got out of the car. They were about two streets away from where he knew Shizuka and her mother lived. That was probably a good thing; it would garner less attention if he walked the rest of the way. But what was not a good, or a welcome, thing was when Seto got out of the car as well.

"Going somewhere?" Jou asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I should think that would be obvious for even someone with lesser mental facilities like yourself," Seto replied with a slight smirk, gently shutting the door behind him.

"You're not coming to meet Shizuka. No way!"

"I don't remember asking. And you can't stop me."

The really annoying part was that Seto was right. He could wake Yami up and ask him to corral his annoying cousin, but a) there was no telling whether Yami would, b) even if he did there was a good chance Seto wouldn't listen, and c) Yami and Yuugi looked so cute that he was loathe to wake them up unless he absolutely had to. He gritted his teeth, glaring at Seto. "If you mess this up for me…" he began. There was no way to finish that sentence.

"I won't," Seto said, dropping his arms to his sides. The soft look was back in his eyes. "I have a younger brother, too."

"Fine, then." Jou sighed and started walking, shoving his hands into his pockets. It felt strange to have the cell phone bumping against his thigh as he walked. Normally he didn't have possession of one. He worked full time at a restaurant downtown and the wages he brought in went towards his apartment and food. The little he had left over usually went to making sure that his father's landlord didn't toss the man out on his ass. There was no money left over for luxuries like cell phones. When he had the chance he borrowed one from his friends and when he didn't, he made do without. It was a pain and sometimes made it difficult to keep in contact with Shizuka, but that was just the way it was, and Jou had long since gotten used to that.

He took the phone out and opened Yuugi's contact list, scrolling down until he reached Shizuka's name. He opened up a new message and typed quickly. AM HERE. ON TAKU STREET. U?

Then he stopped and waited.

It didn't take long. The phone beeped and he peered down at the new text. MUM IS HOME.

Shit. Jou looked up and kept walking, not noticing or caring if Seto was keeping pace. By the time he was on the end of Mizu Street, he could the house. It was a very tidy little place. White, with deep pink shutters and carefully tended flowerbeds out front. Exactly the sort of place that he knew his mother had always dreamed about having, but which their father had always scorned as being too expensive. He approached cautiously, knowing that if his mother happened to glance out the window she'd be furious. He'd hoped that she would still be out of the house, as most nights she had the tendency to work late, but apparently not this night.

A shadow appeared at one of the second story windows and he knew that it was Shizuka. She pushed the window up and leaned out, looking in their direction. From this distance, Jou couldn't pick out much more than her long auburn hair and the pale blue sundress she was wearing. She was so close but he couldn't get to her and that was intolerable. He shifted his weight uneasily and then lifted up his free hand to wave. Shizuka waved back, an energetic, frantic motion that made him smile in spite of himself. But then suddenly she turned, looking at something inside the house, before she vanished from the window. Someone else took her place and Jou froze, his hand dropping back down to his side, as the window was slammed shut. The phone chimed.

RUN.

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Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews! I couldn't find an official name for Jou's and Shizuka's mother, so I chose the name Noriko for her. It means "ceremony, law, or rule" and I thought it would be fitting. It's a shorter chapter, but quite emotional. Enjoy!

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The quiet beeping of a phone woke Yuugi from his pleasant sleep. He remained still, keeping his breathing even, as he felt a weight vanish from on top of his head. Yami muttered a few curses as he squirmed around on the seat until he could take his phone out of his pocket. He read the message and sighed, the force of his breath stirring Yuugi's hair. Then there was the sound of keys being tapped and Yuugi forced his eyes to open, too curious to keep pretending he was sleeping. He was lying against Yami, head cushioned on his shoulder, both hands loosely clutching Yami's shirt. Yami had one arm around his shoulders and the other was holding onto his phone. It was an amazingly comfortable position and Yuugi didn't want to move.

"Who was that?" he asked sleepily, looking across the limo. There was no sign of Jou or Seto, come to think of it. He hoped that meant Jou had gotten the chance to see Shizuka, though he suspected that his friend wouldn't have liked Seto coming along for the ride. That was just the sort of thing that would have driven Jou crazy.

"It was Seto." Yami didn't seem surprised that he was awake. He began rubbing absent circles into Yuugi's shoulder with his fingers as he locked his phone and set it down in his lap. "Seems the meeting with Shizuka didn't go as planned."

"Shit," Yuugi muttered, knowing immediately what must have gone wrong. He'd only had the 'opportunity' to make the acquaintance of Kawai Noriko once when he and Jou had gone to visit Shizuka at the hospital after her operation, and it was a experience he hoped he'd never have to repeat. The woman had made it clear that the only reason Jou was even allowed in the room was because he had helped to come up with the money for Shizuka's operation. She'd looked at both of them like they weren't even worth the time it took to stand there and talk, and Jou had just taken it without saying a word.

Yami glanced at him and then sighed. "Yeah, that's pretty much how Seto seemed to feel. He said that Jou wasn't ready to face anyone else yet."

"So he wants us to be gone," Yuugi guessed, almost tempted to say no. Jou never let anyone around him after he'd had an incident with his mother. He became a closed-off fortress that no one was welcome to penetrate, least of all someone he professed to hate. That he was actually still with Seto was interesting… and probably for the best. Seto wouldn't let him do anything too hasty. "Yeah, why not? I'm sure that Seto will get him back to the hotel safely, right? They'll be able to call for a cab?"

"I'd stake my fortune on it," Yami replied, unbuckling his seatbelt. He leaned across Yuugi and pushed the door open, then sat back and gestured for Yuugi to get out first. "Where do you want to go?"

Yuugi paused and thought about it. Some place where they wouldn't get caught would be nice, since there was a good chance that the producers were probably looking for them. He was hungry but he wasn't sure he felt like sitting down to a meal at a restaurant. "How about a movie?" he suggested at last, opening up the driver's side door. It had been some time since he'd driven, but he was fairly confident he could do it. He had to adjust the driver's seat quite a bit to compensate for Seto's long legs. He got into the seat and closed the door. "I heard that there was a really good one playing."

"Sounds good to me. Lead on." Yami smiled, looking pleased by the prospect, and climbed in on the other. He slipped his hand into Yuugi's as Yuugi started the car up. Yuugi shot him a shy smile in response and pulled away from the curb.

**YY**

"Fuck," Jou muttered under his breath, stomach churning. He hesitated, watching the house closely. Sure enough, a moment later the front door swung open and Kawai Noriko stormed out. She was a short woman, barely taller than Shizuka, but she had such presence that she seemed like she towered over him. She was dressed in black heels, a black pencil skirt, a button-up white shirt, and a black suit jacket: must have just gotten off work. Her short auburn hair bounced around her shoulders as she stalked down the sidewalk, heading in their direction. Jou swallowed hard and shuffled back a step before remembering that Seto was standing beside him. He raised his chin, determined not to show weakness in front of the man.

"Hello, Ma," he said when she was close enough.

Noriko glared at him. "What are you doing here, Katsuya?" she demanded, propping her hands on her hips. This close, he saw that her honey colored eyes – the one feature he had inherited from her – were blazing with anger and her cheeks were flushed. "I distinctly remember telling you that you were not to come near our home or Shizuka. How _dare _you disobey me?"

"I just wanted to see Shizuka," Jou said, hating how meek his voice came out. Normally he could stand up to anyone, but there was something about his parents that made him feel like a child no matter how old he got. He didn't know if he would ever be able to look at the raw hatred on his mother's face and not feel like curling up into a little ball. It always made him remember how she had once looked at him with love.

"I don't_ want_ you to see her. I think I've made my opinion on this perfectly clear."

Yes, she had. She'd said as much on the day she left: "You're too much like your father." Those words had haunted him for years. Sometimes, like when he took so much as a sip of a beer or something alcoholic, they still did. He didn't want to end up like either one of his parents, but especially his father, but for some reason that was all Noriko could see when she looked at him. She didn't seem to possess the ability to separate the two of them in her mind. That's why she had left him behind and taken Shizuka, because she didn't want Shizuka to be 'tainted' by either one of them. Humiliation burned low in his stomach at the reminder, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

"Ma, I wouldn't do anything to her," he mumbled, cowed in spite of himself. "I have a job, you know. An apartment of my own. I don't… I just want to spend some time with my sister. I miss seeing her." He very carefully did not say that he missed Noriko too. It wasn't true, not any more, and she wouldn't have responded kindly to the sentiment, anyway. She'd made it apparent from the moment that she left him behind that she no longer considered him her son.

"The answer is no, Katsuya, and I want you and your friends to stop coming around." She leveled a look in Seto's direction, sweeping her eyes up and down his body like he wasn't fit to be standing on her street. "Shizuka's health is too fragile right now. She might get sick if she goes outside or pushes herself too much."

A dozen different arguments flooded Jou's mind. Shizuka went to school every day, so obviously she was fine being outside; she had even told him in one of their few e-mails that she'd joined a few after-school activities and was thinking of going out for cheerleading next year. The doctors were encouraging her to act like a normal, healthy teenaged girl instead of letting her previous illness rule her life. It was the only way she would ever become fully healthy. And even if Shizuka _was_ feeling a little poorly, why couldn't he just come inside the house and see her? There was no need for her to take even one step outside if it was truly dangerous. She wouldn't have to push herself: Jou would be perfectly fine with just sitting on the edge of her bed and listening to her talk about her school and her friends. All he wanted to do was have the chance to listen and talk to her a little, to see her in person instead of settling for the scant letter.

But instead of saying anything, he closed his mouth. It was useless. There was no way Noriko would let him inside. She was too afraid that his very presence would somehow taint everything she had worked so hard for, like there was a tangible aura of bad luck or filth hanging around him. A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed hard. It hurt. But he didn't want her to see that, even though he suspected it was probably obvious. And besides, if there was the off chance that Shizuka might actually get sick, he didn't want to push it. The thought of her being even slightly ill terrified him. He never wanted to see Shizuka in the hospital again.

"Alright, Ma," he said quietly, lacing his hands behind his back where she wouldn't see him squeeze them into fists. "I understand. I'm glad you're thinking about what's best for Shizuka."

Her face brightened and a parody of a proud smile swept across her lips. "That's a good boy, always thinking about your sister and putting her first," she said approvingly.

Jou managed a weak smile, hating how it actually made him feel good to hear her say that. Any trace of pride in her voice was like a balm and he soaked it up eagerly. He took another step back. "Let Shizuka know that I'll call her tonight," he said, even though he knew she wouldn't. It was far more likely that she would purposely get Shizuka out of the house so that the girl wouldn't be there if Jou did call, or that she would monitor the phone (they had caller ID, no doubt) so that she could ignore the phone. "Bye, Ma."

"Good-bye, Katsuya," Noriko said primly. She didn't move to go back to the house, just stood there waiting, and he knew that she didn't trust him. She would wait until he went back to the car, got in, and drove away, and then she would take Shizuka somewhere just in case he managed to double back.

He gave in. He turned on his heel and walked to the end of the street, refusing to look back even though he might have been able to catch a glimpse of Shizuka if he had. There was a familiar if painful burning behind his eyes and the last thing he wanted to do was to cry in front of Kaiba Seto. The man might have been a stranger to Jou – certainly they were not anything more than acquaintances – but it was already evident that he didn't tolerate weaknesses like emotion. Besides, his pride had taken enough blows for the day. All he wanted to do was go back to the hotel and pretend like everything was alright. He was already concocting a story that he could tell Yuugi that would make it seem like the visit had gone array just by mistake.

His body, though, didn't seem to agree. His vision was blurring and he could feel his breath coming more shakily, stuttering out of his body in thin gasps like he was running instead of walking at a slower than normal pace. He clenched his hands even tighter and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force the tears back. There was no need for him to cry. Really, he shouldn't have been pinning his hopes so high in the first place. He should have known that Noriko would put her foot down. Shizuka would never go against her and Jou wouldn't ask her to. He could take a few more years… could wait until Shizuka was old enough to move out… if that ever happened. If Noriko didn't insist that they still live together even then.

A swell of bitterness raged through him and he shivered. "Guess you enjoyed that," he said raggedly, shooting a quick glance over his shoulder at Seto. The brunet was typing something into his cell phone, but when Jou spoke, he looked up. Jou turned hastily away before he could be caught staring and nearly missed the response.

"Sorry?"

Seto's voice was cool and Jou didn't have to turn around to know that those penetrating blue eyes were staring at his back. He ducked his head. "I guess you enjoyed that," he repeated. "Seeing me being taken down by someone else. Just a mutt, right? Probably think that I deserve what I got." Much to his horror, his voice cracked, and he fell silent even though there was a lot more he wanted to say.

There was a moment's pause during which he wondered if he'd be able to run before it became completely obvious that he was officially crying (like it wasn't already), and then two hands landed on his shoulders. He was pulled back against a warm chest as arms wrapped around him, holding him in place and preventing him from running away. Seto's head came to rest against the back of his neck as one hand rubbed soothing circles on his belly. It all happened in a flash, almost before Jou could react. He stared straight ahead, heart pounding furiously, wondering if he should try to pull free. Normally he didn't let anyone hug him like this, and he really didn't like the idea of Seto seeing him at his worst.

But. Seto wasn't looking at him. No one was, so no one could see that he was crying. Jou took a deep, shuddering breath and relaxed, letting his full weight rest against the firm body behind him. The arms around his waist tightened, holding him up. It felt surprisingly good, even if Seto _was_ still an asshole. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back towards the sky, thinking about his little sister and wishing that he could've gotten the chance to see her just once. And if the position allowed him to rest the back of his head on the crook of Seto's shoulder as the tears slid down his cheeks, well, he'd never have to admit it.

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Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! Ok, I'm super excited about this chapter and the next two. You'll understand why when you read it. Enjoy!

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"What do you think is wrong with him?" Ryou folded his arms, looking concerned. He was sitting on the middle of his bed, propped up against the headboard with several pillows surrounding him. His long white hair spilled freely around his bare shoulders, making him look like some exotic, pale creature that had stepped out of another world for just a moment. "No, scratch that. I suppose we know exactly what's wrong with him. The real question is, can we help?"

"I don't think so," Yuugi replied quietly, staring up at the ceiling. Malik was out with Mariku doing god knew what, and Jou was in their bedroom curled up in bed with the covers pulled up over his head in an effort to block out the world. He'd spent the last couple of days there staunchly ignoring any requests for him to show his face and Yuugi was starting to get worried. It was so unlike his friend to be anything but lively. What had Noriko said to him? What had happened between him and Seto? It was a mystery. He sighed and rolled onto his side. "Not unless we can get Shizuka-chan out from underneath her mother's nose, anyway. Seto told Yami that Jou didn't even get to speak to her. Apparently Noriko cut them off at the pass and wouldn't even let them near the house."

Ryou grimaced. "Harsh. I don't know what's wrong with that woman sometimes," he said.

"She doesn't deserve Jou, I'll say that much."

"No, I agree with you there, but I doubt Jou will see it that way," Ryou sighed. "Shizuka must have been really upset, too. Jou told me she's been looking forward to this a lot."

"That's one way to put it," Yuugi muttered, propping himself up on his elbow. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, which he had unearthed from the pocket of Jou's jeans yesterday. Shizuka had been texting him out of desperation, hoping that he would be able to pass the messages onto Jou. He didn't have the heart to admit to her that Jou didn't seem to be that interested in hearing them.

"Maybe you should get Seto in there," Ryou suggested with a half-smirk.

"Jou would kill me."

"Might be just what he needs." He thoughtfully twirled a strand of hair around his finger and shrugged. "You told me that Seto was with him at the time. I don't think I've ever seen Jou talk to anyone after he had an encounter with his mum. He didn't even talk to you on the way home from the hospital that time, remember? And then he avoided us all for like two days afterwards, and when we showed up at his apartment and told him we wouldn't take being ignored anymore, he pretended that nothing had happened and he had no idea why we would think he was upset. So maybe Seto actually got to him in a way that we haven't."

It was an idea. Yuugi contemplated it seriously. _Someone_ had to get through to Jou. Maybe Seto could actually do that. "He'll probably never forgive me," he said, but it was spoken with a great deal more amusement than before.

Ryou shrugged. "He'll get over it eventually."

Yuugi sat up and looked at him curiously. There was something a little different about Ryou, he had noticed. It was hard to put his finger on what, exactly, it was, but his normally polite, soft-spoken friend seemed a little more brash and confident than before. This was a side of Ryou that normally no one saw, not even his friends. He narrowed his eyes a little. "I heard you've been spending a lot of time with Bakura," he said slowly. "How is that going?"

A flush spread over Ryou's cheeks. "There's nothing going," he said defensively. "Bakura is annoying. He's a total bastard sometimes, you know."

"But you like him."

He sighed. "Yeah. I must have really crap taste in guys, I think." His eyes softened a little and a tiny smile curved his lips. "I know they say you're not supposed to go into a relationship expecting to change a guy, but I feel like even just knowing him a little while, Bakura has, a bit. He was all hard edges when we met and now he's not so much. I don't feel like I have to constantly be on guard around him. I'm not sure anything I say could ever shock him." He wrapped his arms around his knees. "I like that."

"I'm glad," Yuugi said honestly. "But be careful, Ryou. Bakura comes from Egypt, you know, and all things considered he's technically a stranger."

Ryou looked at him for a long moment. "Was it Malik or Jou who said that?"

"Malik." He wasn't going to lie. "I think he has a point, though. When I think about Yami and how he makes me feel… I've never felt so connected to someone I don't know that well. We only just met like a week ago but already I find myself thinking about a future with him not around and it hurts. That scares me a little."

"I don't know what to tell you, Yuugi. I like Bakura and I'm going to see where this takes me. I'm not saying I'm going to move to Egypt tomorrow with the guy. I don't even know if Bakura likes me in return. I can never quite get a reading on him. But there's no way I'm going to stop just because there's a chance it might not work out." His eyes took on a knowing look. "Not everyone is going to be like Anzu, Yuugi. If you don't give it a chance…"

"I know, I know." Yuugi bit his lip, frustrated, knowing that Ryou didn't understand. It wasn't_ about_ Anzu. Yes, she'd broken his heart and yes, Yuugi was a little more cautious about moving on and just blithely trusting anyone who happened to come along because of that. He thought that anyone would be in his position. But that wasn't entirely what was putting him off when it came to Yami. No, it was about the fact that he felt a deep connection to Yami, that he could easily imagine his life twenty years from now and see Yami in it. He'd experienced something similar when he met Ryou, Malik and Jou for the first time: he'd known that they would be friends forever. With Yami, it was similar, but different in a way that made him nervous.

"I'm going to go talk to Seto," he said finally, sliding off of the bed. He straightened his shirt. "And then I have to meet Yami for our date, so I guess I'll see you later."

"Bye. Have fun on your date."

"As much fun as we can have when we're being stalked at every opportunity," Yuugi replied, letting himself out of the room. He nearly walked straight into Bakura, who gave him a distinctly cool look as he entered Ryou's room and closed the door behind him. Yuugi shook his head in amusement and headed down towards the hotel lobby. He was pretty sure he'd seen Seto there earlier, doing something with his laptop that involved a lot of cursing into the cell phone he'd been clutching in his left hand.

Sure enough, Seto was still there, holed up in the corner with a cup of coffee in front of him. His fingers were flying over the laptop keys and he was so focused that Yuugi hated to interrupt him. Probably wouldn't have if he hadn't gotten another text from Shizuka at that moment, asking Yuugi to ask Jou to call her since Noriko was at work. Yuugi tightened his grip on the phone and didn't answer. Instead, he slipped into the seat across from Seto and folded his hands on top of the table, waiting patiently for Seto acknowledge him. Though the icy blue eyes flicked up to examine him when he sat down, Seto said nothing for several minutes.

Finally, he glanced up, not bothering to stop his frantic pace. "What?"

"I know I'm bothering you," Yuugi said. There was no point in beating around the bush. "I'm sorry but I had to. I'm worried about Jou. He hasn't gotten out of bed since you guys got back." He played with his phone, avoiding the penetrating gaze that seemed to see straight through him. It wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't a history of depression in Jou's family, but his father had suffered from it and had become a lazy alcoholic who had ended up destroying his livelihood and family as a result. He didn't want Jou to go that route. His friend was better than that. "He won't talk to me."

"What makes you think he'll talk to me?" Seto asked. His fingers had slowed and he was watching Yuugi intently.

"I don't," he admitted. "But Jou let you come with him to see Shizuka. If he didn't want you there he would have done everything possible to make sure you knew it. He wouldn't have even let me go see her at the hospital if I hadn't helped to earn the money for her surgery. So the fact that he let you go…" He looked up, confusion visible in his violet eyes. "I don't know. It just seems significant especially because he didn't leave you afterwards when things didn't go the way he had hoped. He doesn't want to talk to me but I was hoping that maybe you could… do something."

Seto didn't say anything for a moment. Then he asked, "Do you have any siblings?"

"No. Neither does Ryou. Malik has an older sister, but…" Yuugi trailed off. Isis was, at times, more like a mother to Malik than a sister.

He nodded and pressed the top of his laptop down. "Give me your room key and your cell phone," he said, "since I'm guessing that's Shizuka who has been calling you."

Yuugi gladly handed the two items over and watched as Seto made his way out of the restaurant. He didn't know if Seto would be able to get through to Jou - didn't know if anyone short of Shizuka could do that at this point - but he was relieved and grateful that the brunet was willing to try. With any luck Seto would be able to make Jou realize that things still had the potential to get better, even if it didn't seem like it right now. Jou deserved better than what Noriko was dealing out to him. He crossed his fingers. Maybe Seto would be able get that message across.

Someone slid into the chair across from him. "Hey, little one."

The deep voice made a flush rise to Yuugi's cheeks as he turned his head. "Why do you always call me that?" he asked.

Yami looked at him. "Does it bother you?"

"No." Surprisingly, that was the truth. Yuugi had endured remarks about his height from the time when he was a child, when it became evident that he had unfortunately inherited the Mutou genes for a lack of height. He'd been young when he stopped growing and it had been fodder for many bullies and teasing comments. It had always been a sore point, but somehow with Yami it wasn't. Maybe it was because Yami hadn't exactly won the height lottery, either. "I'm just curious."

"It suits you," Yami replied. He was smiling. "It's not very often I find someone like you."

"What, you mean shorter than you?" Yuugi asked, raising an eyebrow. Yami only had a handful of inches on him but sometimes that was all it took. The only people shorter than him were also ten or more years younger.

"Something like that." There was a distinct softness to his crimson eyes and Yuugi flushed again, suddenly wondering if he'd misinterpreted something about the situation. Yami's smile grew and he leaned back. "Where are we going today?"

"I'm not sure if we'll be allowed to leave the hotel, so you might end up with another tour of the place at this rate," said Yuugi, casting a glance towards the door of the restaurant. He was fairly sure that Haga had been following him since he'd left his room that morning, and now he could make out Mai's blonde hair hovering in the doorway, no doubt trying to make sure Yuugi and Yami weren't going to pull another get away. True to Yami's word, he'd smoothed things over so neither of them had gotten in trouble, but he had the sense that no one was very happy with what they'd done. The show had been short a date, so he and Yami had had to go out for ice cream and another movie yesterday with the crew trailing them the whole time. Probably not the most interesting date - and it made Yami look fairly uncreative in terms of planning - but it must have worked because no one else had broached the topic.

"They'll get over it," Yami said dismissively. He stood up and held a hand out to Yuugi. "Come on, let's go. I've been cooped up in my room with Bakura and Mariku for hours, and some of their ideas are actually starting to sound sane. That's a sign I need to spend some time with people who_ aren't_ crazy."

He laughed and took Yami's hand. "What makes you think I'm not crazy?" he asked, amused to see that some of the other patrons in the hotel were giving them curious looks. No doubt wondering whether he and Yami were unknown celebrities, considering all of the cameras following them around on a daily basis.

"If you are, it's a brand that's more suited to me." Yami squeezed his hand and led him around the tables towards Mai.

She stiffened as they approached and gave a tight smile. There was no more playful attitude, no more attempts to toe the line of flirting. "Are you ready?" she asked, and even her voice had a crisp shortness that wasn't normally there.

"Yes, we are," said Yuugi. "Is the car?"

"Out front." Mai jerked her head and then stepped out of the way. She trailed them across the hotel lobby, the sharp click of her heels a warning that she was prepared to chase after them if they decided to run away. Yuugi tried to ignore her in favor of Yami, who didn't seem to be overly bothered by the fact that they were essentially being stalked. Maybe he was used to it..

The car was indeed waiting for them at the curb. Mai checked the front seat to make sure that the driver was who he said he was before she let them get in. She even made the poor man show her his identification papers. While that was going on, Haga fitted Yuugi and Yami with more of those small microphones before they got into the car. Yuugi wasn't really all that surprised when not only Mai but two men toting cameras got in as well. He shuffled over next to Yami and wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or annoyed when one of the men whipped his camera around to film the move.

"So, where are we headed?" Mai asked brightly once the camera had been switched off.

"I gave our itinerary to the driver last night," Yuugi answered smugly. He'd met one of the interns working on the show two days before. Rebecca Hawkins was young and precocious and had developed an instant crush on Yuugi. She'd been more than receptive to the idea of helping him out a little and she'd willingly taken his plan for the day down to the driver after receiving strict instructions not to share them with anyone. It helped that Rebecca was openly scornful of Mai; there was no love lost between the two women.

"You did?" Mai frowned and looked into the front seat. "Why didn't I get a copy?"

"Just the way things worked out, I guess," he said lightly and okay, it was mean because Mai was just trying to do her job, but he didn't really care.

"Why don't you just sit back and enjoy the ride?" Yami suggested, looking amused. He took Yuugi's hand again, but it was a hidden move, concealed between their bodies.

Mai's eyes narrowed. "Very well. Fortunately it will give me lots of time to talk about what's going to happen tonight," she said. She held up her hand to keep Yuugi silent. "Don't worry. Your plans aren't at risk, I assure you. As long as it's not illegal or immoral and doesn't reflect poorly on the show, you can do whatever you want. And if you want to keep it a secret for now that's your choice. What I'm talking about is the next step in your relationship."

"The… next step?" Yuugi experienced a strong sinking sensation. He strongly suspected that he probably wouldn't like where this was going. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've held hands once or twice. That's good. But we need more contact," Mai answered. There was a small smirk playing around her lips; she was clearly enjoying this. "Remember, this is primarily a dating show that deals with the progress of your relationship. We wanted to discuss this on your last date but there wasn't time." She shot them both a small glare before clearing her throat and shifting around. "On this date, we've decided that you should share your first kiss."

"_What_? You can't just - "

"Mai, I'm not sure that's - "

"It's already been decided," Mai said loudly, cutting over their simultaneous protests. Her smirk had grown. "Both of you agreed to certain public displays of affection when you signed your contracts as long as they weren't of an excessive nature. One kiss can hardly be considered excessive." She leaned forward slightly and propped her folded hands on her knee. "You've already had a certain amount of leeway. This is something that we're not prepared to give in on."

Yuugi felt lightheaded. Possibly that was because all of the blood had rushed into his face, making him feel like his cheeks were on fire. He had to admit that the thought of kissing Yami was not unappealing. Actually, it was quite the opposite, and it had featured fairly prominently in some of his dreams. But he did not like the idea of having his first kiss with Yami – with a boy, period – on camera. Yet it didn't seem like Mai was going to be willing to negotiate: her eyes had a clear, hard glitter to them and she was watching both of them with an expression that was not unlike a hawk just waiting for its prey to escape.

"We will agree on one condition," Yami said.

"And what would that be?"

"I want to have fifteen minutes alone in the car with Yuugi. No microphones, no cameras, and no company." Yami gave her a fierce glare that indicated she was definitely included in that. "You can surround the car with people if you want to make sure that we don't make a run for it, but otherwise I'm not doing it. I want to make sure that both Yuugi and I are wholly comfortable with what's about to happen. I think you can agree that much is acceptable."

Mai stared at him for a moment before she glanced at Yuugi. "Is that acceptable to you?"

He had been staring at Yami, but when Mai turned her eyes on him Yuugi looked away. "Fine." He pulled the microphone off of his shirt and dumped it into her hands. Yami did the same.

"Alright, I agree, then." Mai took hold of her suit jacket and muttered something into the little clip that was attached there. Then she reached over Yuugi's head and touched her fingers to a small button embedded in the roof. She kept her hand there for a moment before pulling back and adjusting her jacket. "There. You're good to go. No cameras, no microphones."

"Just so you know, I will remember everything we say during this conversation," Yami told her. There was a hint of warning in his voice. "If, when the show broadcasts, I hear anything from this I will sue you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." She waved her hand and pushed the door open, climbing out of the car. Up front, the driver opened his door and got out as well, leaving the two of them alone. Yuugi stared out the tinted window, watching as they walked away from the car. Mai glanced back a few times before stopping about twenty feet away, close enough to do something about it if either of them did try to make a break for it. He couldn't say that the thought hadn't crossed his mind a handful of times.

"Yuugi?"

His stomach tightened as he turned to look at Yami. There was a kind smile on Yami's face that just made him feel worse. "It's not like I'm opposed to the idea," he blurted out, fisting his hands in his shirt. This whole situation was making him feel unbearably young and he hated that. "I just… I don't know if I want to do it on camera. That's all. I feel silly saying that. I guess I should've thought this through. It makes sense that they would want it eventually."

Yami sighed and slipped closer, until they could speak softly. Even though Mai had supposedly turned the microphones off, it didn't hurt. "No, little one, it's alright. I didn't really think about it, either. I've done things like this before for the press and it never gets any easier. Never makes you stop feeling like a performing seal for their pleasure." He reached out and stroked Yuugi's cheek, turning his head so that their eyes met. "It's one thing to do a show about dating but it's quite another to have something like a first kiss be an entirely scripted experience. I would have liked the chance to have been able to kiss you on my own terms."

"You'd… want to?" The words came out higher pitched than he would have liked. Yuugi cleared his throat. "I mean, you'd want to kiss me?"

"Of course." Those crimson eyes were glimmering with amusement. "I like you, little one, a great deal. I want to make you more comfortable if I can. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You already got me a few minutes reprieve," Yuugi said. It was bad enough that he even felt like he needed the time when Yami was acting so calm. He leaned his head against the glass and smiled. "I doubt Mai would have been willing to do even that much if you weren't here. Thanks for that. It helped." He wasn't lying. The initial rush of panic over the thought of it had faded. He felt like he would be able to face the camera when he got out rather than turn and run away.

"You're most welcome," Yami replied softly, his thumb never stopping its gentle caress. "Yuugi, I have to admit that I'm not thrilled about having our first kiss on camera, either, and that there was another reason I asked Mai to leave us alone."

Yuugi thought he knew what was coming. "Yeah?"

"May I kiss you, Yuugi?"

* * *

Please review!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Wow you guys can be violent with the threats! As promised, I think this chapter will be worth the wait, though you may want to kill Mai. Enjoy!

* * *

Yuugi's heart skipped a beat as he processed the question. He swallowed hard, gaze falling from Yami's eyes to his lips. It had been a _long_ time since he'd kissed anyone. The last person had been Anzu, and even then it had been a quick peck on the mouth as she skipped out the door to go to her new dance class. Shortly after that they'd broken up. He couldn't remember the last time he'd shared a genuine kiss, and he'd never kissed a boy. Would it be different from kissing a girl? He met those crimson eyes again and smiled with just a hint of nerves. He wanted to find out.

"Yes," he said thickly. "Please."

Yami leaned down closer, putting their faces closer together. He hesitated for a split second, giving Yuugi the time to pull away if he changed his mind, before leaning in all the way and pressing their lips together. It was a short kiss, achingly chaste, a gentle brush before he was pulling away. Yuugi followed instinctively, his hands lifting and twining into Yami's hair as he pulled Yami back down for more, instinctively parting his lips this time. An unidentifiable sound that might have been a growl rose in Yami's chest and he began to give as good as he got, free arm sliding around Yuugi's waist to pull him even closer.

Kissing a boy, Yuugi discovered, was different in some ways. Yami's mouth was not as soft or giving, and their bodies, where they met, were a series of hard lines. There were no curves and definitely no cushioning. But he liked it. He_ really_ liked it. Yami tasted of tea and something vaguely spicy, like pumpkin or cinnamon, and he was definitely experienced, apparently possessing an innate knowledge in how to coax the most sensation out of Yuugi's mouth with just a flick of the tongue across his bottom lip. He moaned and pressed closer, tilting his head for better access, as Yami's hands slipped underneath his shirt and encountered the bare skin of his back.

"Please," he whispered, the word lost as Yami's tongue slid into his mouth. He met it tentatively and quickly got over his nerves to match stroke for stroke. Eventually Yami retreated with one last, lingering lick that invited him to follow. He took up the invitation with a muffled whimper, exploring Yami's mouth, lapping and learning and caressing, and then gasped as Yami's teeth gently fastened around his lower lip and tugged lightly. There were hands on hips, pulling him closer and into a better position, and he wiggled with a low whine.

There was a knock on the window. Both of them jumped and jerked backwards. Yuugi was panting slightly, his cheeks flushed pink. Yami turned his head and called, sounding only slightly breathless, "Yes?"

"Your fifteen minutes are up," Mai called through the window. "Come on. Don't make me come in there after you."

"We'll be out in a moment," Yami answered hastily. He turned back to Yuugi and smiled, looking somehow composed. "Are you alright? Was that okay?"

Okay? That wasn't the definition for what was going on inside of Yuugi. He could have happily kissed Yami for hours. It felt like they were just getting started and the last thing he wanted to do was leave. Somehow he had ended up in Yami's lap, straddling him so that his knees were on either side of Yami's thighs, and he didn't want to move. "It was good," he said, tilting his head down slightly. He was actually a little taller than Yami when they were sitting like this and that was nice. "It was… yeah."

"I enjoyed it as well. Do you think you'll feel more comfortable now?"

It took him a few seconds to remember why he'd been concerned in the first place and then he smiled a tad foolishly. His biggest worry now was whether or not he'd be able to keep the kiss for the cameras as "not excessive" as Mai wanted. He wanted badly to pin Yami against the seat and do what came naturally, and he knew that he'd have a hard time pulling away from those lips. "I'll be fine."

Yami nodded and licked his lips. "Ra, I can still taste you," he groaned, doing it a second time. "What are you doing to me, Yuugi?"

"I don't know, but I hope it doesn't stop," Yuugi muttered. Reluctantly, he climbed off of Yami's lap and began straightening his clothes and adjusting himself in his pants. His shirt had mysteriously come un-tucked, and when he glanced into the window he saw that his hair was mussed. He tried his best to tame it before giving it up as a lost cause.

Irritatingly enough, Yami gave a toss of his head and his hair settled as though he had just emerged from a salon. He grinned at Yuugi's dirty look and reached out, pushing the door open. Mai stepped away from the car at the two of them emerged and narrowed her eyes, blatantly looking them over for any signs of what they had just been doing. Yuugi widened his eyes, putting on his best 'who me?' expression, and pretended that he didn't have any idea of what she was thinking. After a moment, she huffed and glanced away and he smirked smugly to himself. Sometimes it paid to be cute.

"Where are we?" Yami asked, looking around with interest. The car had stopped at the harbor. A few feet away was the entrance to the docks, which was bustling with people.

"You'll see." Yuugi hooked his arm through Yami's and tugged him along, deciding to ignore Mai and the cameras for the time being. For the next few hours their every move would be heavily scrutinized and he wanted to forget about their presence for as long as possible.

They walked down the wooden boards and onto the part of the dock that stood over the water. Now that they were closer, Yami could see that booths had been set up along the dock just past where the boats were hooked up. It looked like a market of some kind. Fascinated, he wandered closer and realized that was exactly what it was. The merchants were happily peddling their wares, seemingly unaffected by the fact that if the dock collapsed out from under their feet they'd go straight into the water. He glanced down uncertainly and then looked questioningly at Yuugi, who smiled.

"Don't worry, Yami. This dock has been here for a long time," he said. "It's not going anywhere."

"I should hope not," Yami muttered. If he closed his eyes and held very still he could feel the subtle shifting of the wood beneath their feet as the waves rolled towards the shore. It was somewhat disorienting for someone who had lived his life on dry land.

"Can you swim?" Yuugi asked curiously, hit by sudden inspiration. He didn't know why he hadn't thought about it before. Malik hadn't been able to swim when he'd first come to Japan either, and it had taken a while before he had been willing to allow Yuugi, Jou and Ryou to teach him. Even now, Malik wasn't terribly confident in the water, and he still didn't like swimming that much.

"Yes, my father insisted that I learn since we live in close proximity to the Nile. He was afraid that I might wander too close as a child and fall in. But I haven't had much opportunity to practice."

"I guess we'll have to make sure you stay on land, then." Yuugi squeezed his arm reassuringly and pulled him over to the first booth, which was selling accessories like necklaces and sunglasses. The sun was beating down on their heads, reassuringly warm and bright, and as they wandered he noticed that Yami was gradually beginning to lose the tension that had made him stiffen as soon as he realized where they were going. Either he was getting used to being on the dock or he'd forgotten what was underneath him. Yuugi hoped it was the former but either way he was glad. He'd racked his mind for something fun to do that wouldn't bore a sophisticated man like Yami and he wanted Yami to enjoy himself.

After visiting each of the booths, Yami purchased a small container of fudge that they had watched being made. The two of them wandered back up the platform and onto the street, eating the sweet and sticky confection and sharing a cup of lemonade. Yuugi had all but forgotten their company as the taste of the chocolate and peanut butter mingled together. Yami was smiling broadly, looking like he was truly enjoying himself, and it was a riveting sight. He was tempted to reach up and kiss him again, but… well, there were certain times when it was impossible to forget about who was right behind them.

"That was fun," Yami said between bites of creamy fudge. "I don't get many opportunities to do things like that."

"You should take more time for yourself," Yuugi replied. "Jii-chan gets me to work in the shop a lot but he also believes it's important for me to go out and have fun with my friends. It's the one nice thing about working for him." He didn't mention that it was partly because, when he was younger, he hadn't had any friends to hang out with. Sugoroku was always careful now to give Yuugi plenty of time for his friends.

"I have responsibilities that are more important than my desire to do what I want."

"So what, you never get to have fun?"

Yami glanced at him. "I wouldn't go that far. It's more like I'm only able to enjoy myself with a select group of people. I find it difficult to let go around strangers. I suppose all of the lessons about etiquette that I endured as a child found a way to stick after all." He smiled thinly. "It's always been that way for me but I never really minded before. I never had anything that was worth fighting to get time alone with."

It took effort to bite back the obvious question - did Yami find him worth it? Instead, Yuugi took his last piece of fudge and licked his fingers. Normally not something he would've done in public, and on camera no less, but watching the way Yami's eyes settled on his fingers and darkened was worth it. He said, "Well, your time is your own at least while you're here. I think we should make the most of it. There must be something that you'd like to do. I'm open to suggestions."

"I know what I'd like to do," Yami said throatily. "But I'm fairly certain that it's not supposed to be done on camera or in public."

Yuugi shivered. God, he had no idea if Yami knew what he sounded like when he said things like that, but it was as though a switch had been flipped in his body, setting his arousal on high. "Then I guess you're going to have to think about something else for now."

"Maybe I should have told you, I'm not so great at being patient." A long, tanned arm came out and hooked itself around Yuugi's waist, drawing him close with one smooth pull. Now that he and Yami were pressed together, Yuugi gulped at the feeling of Yami's interest pressing against his thigh. He couldn't resist pressing back just for the chance to watch Yami's eyes flutter shut as he said shakily, "After all, I believe that we did promise to share a kiss for the camera. I wouldn't want to get into trouble again."

"That would be a little more believable if you hadn't totally disregarded Mai the last time she got angry at you," Yuugi gasped as Yami shifted against him. Oh god that was good. "Yami…"

"Just one little kiss, I promise." There was a hand underneath his chin, tilting his head up. Yuugi kept his eyes shut and waited, lips parted slightly, for the kiss that he knew was coming. It was gentle and soft, nothing like the passion they'd shared in the car, but it still caused a flare of warmth to stir in his belly. He exhaled slowly as Yami pulled back and realized that he was probably smiling a loon.

"One kiss," he said regretfully.

"For now," Yami answered, placing another kiss on Yuugi's forehead before letting go entirely. Yuugi cast a quick glance behind them. Mai was beaming as she gave them a thumbs up and there were at least three cameras pointed at them, so the moment had been captured from a few different directions. Good. He didn't think he could do that again without wanting to push Yami back against the wall. It was too different, too new, and he was craving more.

"Let's do something," he said. It didn't matter what, but he needed _something_ to get his mind off of what they _could_ be doing. He'd never felt this way before and it was confusing. It had taken months for him and Anzu to get to the point where they were comfortable having sex, but a few kisses with Yami and he would have seriously considered going to bed with him if the invitation had been offered. Hell, he was beginning to think about extending the invitation himself. What had Yami done to him? And why didn't he mind?

"There's a game shop," Yami noted suddenly and, sliding his hand into Yuugi's, dragged him inside. It was a fairly large store, bigger than the Kame Game Shop, and boasted more than just the traditional games for sale; there was a wide selection of video games and consoles as well. Yuugi wandered over to the Duel Monsters section to see what they had. He got most of his cards from his grandfather's shop at a discounted price, but he was always on the look out for booster packs from other places. Sometimes it was the worth the bit of extra money because he had better luck with random stores.

He flipped through them slowly, running his fingers along the foil packages. To be honest, he wasn't really all that interested in games at the moment, but he was keenly aware that one of the cameras had followed them in and was lurking over in the corner. Mai was speaking to the proprietor of the shop in a low voice, hands gesturing frantically as she tried to explain about the show and the advantages to allowing them to film in the store. Yuugi tried to ignore them all as he finally selected a package and held it up.

"Found what you like?" The words were accompanied by a gust of hot breath across the back of his neck. His whole body stiffened from head to toe as a delicious heat thrummed low in his belly.

"Yes, I think so," Yuugi muttered, twisting. Yami was standing right behind him, holding a game console in his hand.

"I could get you some of those at no cost," he said, dropping his gaze to the packet Yuugi was holding. "Duel Monsters cards, I mean. Seto is one of the CEOs of Kaiba Corp. He has access to more cards than either of us would ever use in a lifetime."

Yuugi stared. "Your cousin… owns Kaiba Corp?" he squeaked. Kaiba Corp was a Big Deal in the gaming industry. The company that had started small had eventually become one of the driving forces, beating out other companies that had existed for years, and it had been all over the news recently that Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions were planning on teaming up and creating a brand new method of playing Duel Monsters. He'd known, in the way that all duelists do, that the CEO of Kaiba Corp was Kaiba Seto, but somehow he hadn't put two and two together and come up with Yami's cousin.

"I wouldn't say he owns Kaiba Corp, but yes, you could look at it that way." Yami was grinning, enjoying Yuugi's surprise. "He doesn't like to spread it around much. He works hard to keep his image and his younger brother's out of the media as much as possible so that they're not recognized. I was actually a little shocked that you didn't make the connection before, especially after you told me your grandfather runs a game shop and that you duel so much you're considered a champion."

"I guess I just never expected I'd be in the position to meet him," Yuugi replied, dazed. God, Seto was kind of like a legend in the gaming world. Everyone wanted to meet him. He couldn't believe that he had actually spoken to Kaiba Seto. Hell, he'd been in a car that was being driven by Kaiba Seto! He smirked suddenly as realization washed over him. "Oh my god, Jou is going to freak out."

Yami chuckled. "You think so? I can tell that Seto likes him, but I wasn't sure if Jou felt the same way."

"I think he does. Jou's never really shown any signs of being into guys before, but I wouldn't rule it out entirely. He goes crazy over girls sometimes, like Mai." Yuugi nodded to her. Mai might have been dressed professionally, but every stitch of clothing had been carefully crafted to cling to her curves, showing off everything she had the best way possible. There was no question that she looked like the personification of female hotness. "When he first saw her, I thought he was going to swallow his own tongue. But he got it over quickly. It's almost like he forgets he's supposed to be attracted to her."

There was a look of intrigue on Yami's face. "And you think he might be genuinely interested in Seto? How do you know?"

"I guess I don't, not really, not for sure. But he's acting like himself, not trying to be suave or anything stupid like that, like he would around a girl like Mai. And he let Seto come with him to see Shizuka… that was _huge_. Jou doesn't talk about Shizuka to anyone, not even me, unless he absolutely has to." Yuugi paused and set the foil package back down. Yami was standing in front of him, blocking the view of the camera, and they were speaking quietly enough that he didn't mind continuing. "I said to you once before that Jou runs hot and cold and I meant it. He's never had a serious relationship because he needs someone who would challenge him, make him work for it. From what I've seen of your cousin he could probably be up to the task if he wanted."

"Interesting," Yami mused. "Seto's never had a relationship, either. His whole life is essentially about me, Mokuba, and his work. I've always encouraged him to find other avenues towards happiness but it was something he has consistently ignored me on."

"You can't force people to love," Yuugi said with a shrug. It was a hard lesson he'd had to learn, but it had stuck with him and he would never forget it. He shifted. "If you're done here, did you want to go get something to drink?"

"Sure, just let me pay for this and we'll go."

"I'll wait outside. It's crowded in here."

The shop, however large it had been, had rapidly been getting hot and stuffy. Yuugi squeezed his way outside and breathed a sigh of relief as a cool breeze blew against his warm cheeks. He tugged absently at the collar of his shirt as he leaned against the wall and waited. Judging by the size of the line it would probably take Yami a while to go through, but he didn't mind. He was enjoying himself more than he had expected he would. It was nice spending time with Yami, even if they weren't doing anything special. He could picture the two of them walking around Domino City and that was somehow not as frightening as it used to be.

His phone beeped. Yuugi opened his eyes and pulled it out of his pocket, checking the screen. It was Anzu. He hadn't spoken to her since before he'd left, though he spoken to Sugoroku a few times, and he wasn't sure he wanted to talk to her now. But as the screen continued to flash, he felt guilty, and after checking to make sure he was alone he sighed and put the phone to his ear. "Hello."

"Yuugi! Finally, I've been trying to get a hold of you all day!"

"Sorry, Anzu. I was in the store. I must not have heard my phone going off." And even if he had heard it, Yuugi probably wouldn't have bothered to answer. Not when he was with Yami. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to see how you were doing. Make sure that everything is going alright."

"It's fine."

She paused with the tiniest huff. He suppressed a smile as she said, "Well, how are the guys doing? Is Jou behaving himself? What about Ryou and Malik?"

Yuugi arched an eyebrow, hardly able to believe she would stoop to pretending she cared about Malik. It was well known to everyone that Anzu didn't like Malik, and the feeling was mutual as far as Malik was concerned. The two of them were only civil to each other because they had to be. "They're all fine. Jou got the chance to see Shizuka the other day." Not technically true, but she didn't need to know the full story. "Ryou and Malik have been spending their time with a couple of Yami's friends. We're all good."

"Yami's friends?" She latched onto the name instantly. "Is Yami your date?"

"Yes."

"What's he like? Come on, Yuugi, give me details!"

In spite of himself, Yuugi had to smile. Wasn't that the dream of pretty much every person in the world who had ever been dumped? Being able to tell your ex all about your new boyfriend or girlfriend? Except in this case, he and Yami weren't anything but friends who had kissed a handful of times - and he didn't even know if calling them friends was completely accurate yet. "Sorry, Anzu. I can't give out any details. They made me sign a contract that was almost as long as my arm swearing that I wouldn't. You'll have to wait and see the show like everyone else." Perversely, he hoped he could be there when she did. She was going to pass out when she got her first glimpse of Yami.

"You won't even tell me what he looks like?"

He could practically hear the pout. "Nope."

"Mean! But I guess I can understand, seeing as how they made you sign a confidentiality clause." She paused again. "Just… do you think it could go somewhere, Yuugi?"

The unexpected seriousness of the question made him stop before the flippant answer he'd been planning could escape. Anzu was still his friend even if she'd made some poor choices and she deserved a genuine answer. "I'm not sure. I wish I could give you a definitive yes or no but things are still really up in the air right now, and I just… I don't know."

"I see." She hummed softly and he knew that, if he could see her, she would be hunched over, lightly nibbling on the end of her index finger while she thought. "Well, there was another reason I called you."

"Oh, what's that?"

"I thought that you should hear it from me first, Yuugi. Ryuuji asked me to marry him."

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Please review!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Ahem. Is it hot in here or what?

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There was a dull roaring in his ears. Somehow, he managed to give his congratulations without stuttering all over himself too badly, though it proved to be a near thing. Anzu accepted his congrats graciously and after a few more words, they hung up, leaving Yuugi staring blankly at the phone in his hand. His legs felt weak and he suddenly found himself sitting, his back still pressed against the wall, even though he had no memory of deciding to do so. Anzu was getting _married_. In retrospect, it wasn't the most surprising of decisions: she and Otogi had been dating for quite some time and it was evident that Otogi was truly crazy about her. He should have seen this coming a mile away.

But he hadn't.

See, Yuugi was pretty sure that he really was over Anzu. Even if she broke her engagement off and announced that she was still in love with Yuugi he would have turned her down. It wasn't that he didn't love her anymore - he was pretty sure that some part of him would always love Mazaki Anzu - and it definitely wasn't that he didn't find her attractive, considering that she was a beautiful young woman. But he couldn't trust her. He'd always wonder whether she was being faithful to him. The days where he had longed for Anzu to come back to him had passed, but hearing that she was getting married was like receiving a solid punch to the stomach, leaving him breathless and queasy and fighting not to vomit in front of a fair amount of people.

He didn't know how long he sat there for, but eventually he heard footsteps and then someone was standing next to him. There was a moment's pause and then that person sat down. Yuugi had his head lowered, so he didn't know who it was, but he was expecting it to be Yami. He was all ready to put his head on Yami's shoulder and tell him all about Anzu's surprising news when he realized, at the very last second, that it wasn't Yami at all. The woman sitting next to him was vaguely familiar. She had coal black hair tied up into two buns on either side of her head and deep brown eyes. Yuugi blinked at her dazedly, trying to place where he knew her from, but it wasn't until she spoke that he recognized her.

"You know that he's just having fun with you, right?" she asked, running her eyes over him lazily. She was sitting with her back away from the wall, holding herself with just enough grace to remain perpendicular to the bricks, possibly because she didn't want to get her expensive-looking sundress dirty. "He's never had the chance to be an average guy before. You're giving him that opportunity but once he gets bored he's going to go back to where he came from. Back to _me_."

"You're Vivian, right?" Yuugi said wearily. This was the last thing he needed. Manners overcame him and he stuck a hand out. "My name is Mutou Yuugi."

She raised an eyebrow, looking amused, but clasped his hand briefly before letting go. "Lovely to meet you, Yuugi." She made his name sound like an insult. "I'm sure that Yami must have been mentioned me," she added, deliberately drawing out the "a" in Yami's name so that it came out like a moan.

"Yes, he did."

Vivian smirked. "And I'm guessing it wasn't all sweet, judging by your lackluster reaction. Well, that's alright. All couples go through a rough spot in their relationship. Sometimes they even wander a little and sow their wild oats before coming back."

"Are you calling me a wild oat?" he asked, not sure whether he should be insulted or not.

"The truth hurts, honey. Look, I'm not sure how much Yami told you about his past, so let me just say that I'm telling you this for your own good." Her hand landed on his shoulder. It felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. "Yami belongs to a world that you could never_ begin_ to understand. It's all about politics and money. Believe me, that world would destroy what you think you have with him. There's no way you could stand beside him and in the end you'd only drag Yami down with you. Don't you think Yami realizes that?"

Yuugi closed his eyes, trying not to listen to her words. "He said that he broke up with you," he said flatly. "And that you're taking this as an opportunity to try and make a play for him since he asked you not to come back."

If he had hoped to upset her with the comment, he had another think coming. Vivian just chuckled. "I'm not surprised. Yami is _excellent_ at cover stories," she purred, sounding more amused than anything else. "I tell you, one time we were having some fun in his room and his father knocked on the door. Let's just say I had no idea that he could get dressed that fast."

Yuugi looked away, his face burning. Okay, he'd known that Vivian and Yami had been engaged, so it made sense that the two of them would have had sex. But he didn't like having it thrown into his face like that. "Is there a reason why you're here?" he asked finally, keeping his eyes on the ground. This, on top of the rather unhappy surprise Anzu had just sprung on him, was really too much. It felt like his stomach was trying to curl in on itself.

"I'm giving you fair warning," Vivian replied calmly, and suddenly all of the lightheartedness had disappeared from her voice. "You can be friends with Yami but stop trying to expect anything else to happen. He's here to have fun but once he comes to his senses I know that he's going to come back to me. I'm everything that he's ever wanted, everything that he needs to be happy and successful, and there are things about him that you can't even begin to know or understand. If you keep trying to get in the way, it's only going to end in heartbreak for you. I'm doing this for your own good, Yuugi. Stay away from Yami." She stood up, towering over him. "And if I catch you kissing him again, know that I won't be held responsible for my actions. Regardless of what he might have said to you Yami is mine, and I'm not afraid to fight for him."

She didn't give him a chance to reply, but spun on her heel and walked away. Yuugi listened to the sound of her heels clacking against the pavement until she was swallowed up by the crowd. His head was spinning and he wasn't sure what to do, so he just stayed there where he was. It wasn't long before another shadow fell over him, but this time he knew for certain that it was Yami just by the scent - spicy and wild, just like the way he tasted. His cheeks flushed and he clenched his fingers tightly around his phone, doubt waging a silent war inside of him. Yami had seemed so convincing when he'd said that he and Vivian was a thing of the past. But Vivian had also sounded equally honest. How did he know who to believe?

"Yuugi? Is something wrong?"

"No. Why would you think that?" he answered automatically.

"I've been standing here for five minutes and you've been ignoring me. You're not even looking at me. What's wrong?"

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Yami all about Vivian's little visit, but when he glanced up and saw Yami looking down at him with such concern, Yuugi swallowed the words before they could escape. How foolish was he being? Of_ course_ Vivian had been lying. Yami had outright explained that she was not a very nice person and that she had been upset when Yami broke their engagement. Yuugi had been an idiot to listen to her in the first place. He shook his head slowly and gave a small smile, rising to his feet. His knees creaked with the effort and he winced; apparently he had been crouching there for a lot longer than he'd realized.

"Nothing's wrong," he said again, shoving his phone into his pocket. He didn't even want to talk about Anzu. There would be time for that later, when the wound wasn't quite so fresh, but for the time being he wanted to forget. "I think you promised me a drink."

Yami looked at him for a moment before smiling. "Indeed I did." He offered his hand and Yuugi took it, savoring the warmth. Vivian was wrong. She had to be.

**YY**

Jou was still curled up in bed when he heard the door open. His first thought was that it was Yuugi, but no: the heaviness of the footsteps was all wrong. Yuugi was so small that sometimes it seemed like he floated along rather than walked. Not Malik or Ryou, either. They knew better than to approach him when he was in a mood like this. He didn't like being this way but sometimes he couldn't pull himself out of it. It was times like this that he could understand why his father had been driven to alcohol. It would've been so much _easier_ if he could've found a way to dull the pain, to drown out the sound of his mother's voice and criticisms, to stop thinking about all of the things she hadn't said but which were very much implied.

He squeezed his eyes shut and took a shallow, shuddering breath, hoping that whoever it was would have the sense and decency to go away. No such luck. A tanned hand slipped beneath his sheet and gave a quick jerk, yanking it away. As the sheet was pulled through his grasping fingers Jou sat up, ready to be angry. But he stopped short when he realized that the person who was standing over him was none other than Kaiba Seto. Jou stared up at him, open-mouthed. Seto was wearing a more casual outfit this time, jeans and a loose shirt, and there was a pair of sunglasses propped up on his head. He was holding Yuugi's cell phone up.

"Go ahead, Shizuka-chan," he said.

"Onii-chan!" Shizuka's soft voice poured out of the phone, which must have been turned up to maximum volume. "I'm so glad that I'm finally getting the chance to talk to you. I've been trying and trying and Yuugi-san kept telling me that you were busy. What were you doing?"

"I was..." Jou gaped at the phone, uncertain of what excuse he could use. He'd heard Yuugi talking about Shizuka earlier, but he hadn't really been listening all that closely. Now, for the first time, he realized that Shizuka had been trying to get into touch with him. He should have been expecting that after their disastrous meeting. A wave of guilt went through him and he propped himself up on an elbow, reaching for the phone. "I was... I wasn't doing anything important, Shizuka. Nothing could ever be as important as you. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Shizuka said, though the relief was so clear in her voice that it was obvious it wasn't. "Onii-chan, I'm sorry that Kaa-san chased you away when you came to see me. I didn't realize that she was back at the house already or I would've told you to come back later. She… She found the letter that you wrote to me about the show. She knew that you were going to try and visit me… I'm sorry…" It sounded like she was going to cry.

"Don't cry, Shizuka," he pleaded, his heart wrenching. God he hated it when Shizuka was unhappy. Sometimes he felt like his sole purpose in life was to make her cheerful, and when she cried the whole world threatened to end. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have known that there was a chance she might figure something out. It doesn't matter. I'm just disappointed that we didn't get the chance to see each other. But hey, I'm going to be here for a whole month, still." He forced a bit of lightheartedness into his voice, even though he wasn't really feeling it. It was hard to believe so much time had gone by already and it was all too easy to imagine the whole month and a half going by without him getting to speak to her face to face. "I'm sure we can figure out something."

"We will," she vowed. "Even if it means I have to walk into town. I want to see you, Nii-chan. I haven't been able to see you since you came to see me at the hospital. Kaa-san says it's not safe for me to travel into Domino City and I understand that, since there's no where for me to stay, but you're here so it shouldn't matter."

Shouldn't, Jou thought with a certain amount of bitterness, but it did. He was uncomfortably aware that Seto was still standing in the room, but he tried to ignore him. "Shizuka, listen. I don't want you walking into town. That's a really long walk and you're not supposed to be over exerting yourself. It could make you sick again. I'm your big brother. I'll find some way for us to see each other, so don't worry, okay? Ma can't be in the house all the time."

"No, she can't, though she tries. Sometimes I get really tired of having her around me all the time even though I know she's just doing it because she loves me."

"That's right. Ma loves you more than anything," Jou said, a flicker of something that might have been bitterness darting through him. He would never begrudge Shizuka their mother's affection, but there were times that he couldn't help but wonder why she had been the chosen one. If genetics had played their card even a little differently… would their mother have taken him along if he had looked more like her than their father? It was the sort of question he had often asked himself late at night. He didn't know if it was good or not that he had been unable to come up with a satisfactory answer.

"I know. Come see me soon, Onii-chan. I miss you."

"I miss you too." There was a lump in his throat.

Seto took the phone back and held it to his ear. He listened for a moment before he hung up and looked down at Jou. Then he said, "Your sister would be very upset to know that you've been moping in bed for the past few days."

"Well, she's never going to find out, so it doesn't matter," he snapped.

"You have a thing or two to learn about women, mutt. They always know everything." Seto sounded like he was talking from experience. "You might think that you've been hiding this from her but she knows you better than probably anyone else, with the possible exception of Yuugi. Do you really think she doesn't know that your so-called business, which was so important you couldn't even talk to her, was composed of lying around in bed feeling sorry for yourself?"

Jou stared at him for a long moment, too speechless to reply. As the words slowly registered, he felt a powerful wave of fury flooding through him. "What… How dare you!" He rolled quickly off of the bed, springing to his feet and shoving the remaining blankets away. He moved towards Seto, hand clenched into a fist, and threw a punch at Seto's face. Seto smirked and his hand snapped up, easily blocking the blow. He gripped Jou's wrist and spun him around, shoving him back towards the bed and pinning him there with a knee to his lower back.

"I dare," Seto said into his ear, his breath coming over Jou's neck in short, sharp pants, "because I have a younger sibling of my own. You honestly believe that you're the first child who has ever dealt with a parent that didn't love him the way they were supposed to? You need to join the real world, mutt." The knee on his spine dug deep, pressing him ruthlessly into the bed, and Jou groaned in pain. At the same time a hand trailed over his shoulders, almost gentle. "My father and step-father were the sickest fucks to ever walk this planet. Both of them were hell bent on making sure that neither I nor my brother had a normal childhood, all in the interest of making us the best that we could be according to them. And do you know what I did about it? I found a way to make sure both of them went and got fucked. I did it for my brother, just like you should be doing it for your sister. To hell with what your mother says or thinks. She doesn't know you or Shizuka from the sound of it. Shizuka needs someone who is going to look out for her best interests. Are you that man or not?"

His hands were shaking as Jou wound them into the comforter, pulling so tightly that the thin cotton threatened to rip. He should've been protesting, should've been trying to get Seto off of him, and yet… there was a part of him that actually _liked_ this rough treatment. No one had ever treated him this way, rough but caring at the same time. Much to his disgust, he was beginning to get excited, and the harder Seto's weight came down on top of him the better it was. He took a moment to be silently thankful that Seto had pinned him face down, or Seto would've been very aware of his growing problem and that was the last thing that he wanted.

"Mutt! Did you hear me?"

"What?" He forced his eyes open, biting back a moan when Seto leaned down further, forcing his erection to grind against the bed. Seto's hands were pinning Jou's wrists down, preventing him from trying to turn over and escape the blinding shot of pleasure.

"I said, are you that man or not?"

Jou shuddered and turned his face into the sheets. "Yes, I am," he whispered, figuring that it was the better answer.

There was a moment's pause and then Seto's weight lifted off of him. A low whine of protest caught in his throat before he could stop it. Strong hands came down on his shoulders and efficiently flipped him over, and then Seto was straddling him, his knees on either side of Jou's thighs, leaving Jou's legs dangling over the side of the bed. His hands were pinned to either side of his shoulders. It was not a comfortable position, but even though his feet were flat against the floor, Jou couldn't get enough of a grip to push Seto off. Seto was staring down into his face, blue eyes searching intently. For what, Jou didn't know, and the scrutiny was intense, too much. He closed his eyes and looked away right as Seto purposely thrust down.

"Ah, fuck!" The choked cry escaped before he could bite it back. Hot pleasure shot up his spine in a burning wave and he had to stop himself from trying to push up again. God, he'd never realized that such simple contact could feel so good.

"You like that?" Seto inquired, though he already knew what the answer was. "You know, you're pretty cute for a mutt."

"I'm not a fucking dog, Kaiba," Jou hissed out through gritted teeth. The effect was ruined when Seto shifted and thrust again, causing Jou's eyes to flutter shut as he voiced another whimper. Seto seemed to know exactly how to move to afford both of them the maximum amount of pleasure and it was enthralling. He'd never done anything with anyone before. Not for lack of trying, but more because he'd never found the right person. He didn't think Seto was the right person, but it seemed that the choice had been effectively taken out of his hands. Somehow that was making him strangely happy – possibly because it felt so damn good that he couldn't imagine trying to get away, even if Seto didn't have his hands pinned. "S-Seto!"

"Yes, you are," he purred. "You're _my_ puppy." He pressed down harder and lowered his face into Jou's neck, taking a deep breath. The scent was surprisingly pleasant considering that Jou hadn't showered in a handful of days. "Now here's what you're going to do, pup. You're going to get up and take a shower. Then we're going to go downstairs and have something to eat, since I can hear your stomach growling. And then you're going to call your sister back and let her know that you've figured out a way to come and see her and that you'll be doing it within the week."

"But I haven't," he ground out.

In the space of seconds Seto's reassuring weight vanished from his thighs. Jou's eyes opened and he found himself staring into icy blue eyes. "Yes, you have," Seto replied. "Nothing is going to keep you away from your little sister, pup, not if I have anything to say about it." He squeezed Jou's hip tightly before letting go and backing up, leaving the blond feeling surprisingly cold and bereft. "Get up."

It was tempting to refuse. If anything, he would've liked to have seen what Seto would do if he did. But instead he silently stood up and walked into the bathroom, not wanting to face those knowing eyes when his trousers were far too tight and obviously tented. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment, his head spinning. No one had ever… he'd never wanted anyone to, and yet when that pompous, arrogant jackass did it, he'd… Jou squeezed his eyes shut and roughly shook his head, deciding that he'd push the incident from his mind. The important thing to focus on was getting to see Shizuka. Nothing else mattered.

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Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** So this story may turn out to be a little shorter than I was originally intending; we'll have to see. Damn these characters and the fact that they're developing minds of their own! Enjoy!

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In the end, Yuugi never mentioned his meeting with Vivian or the phone call from Anzu, even though Yami made it clear that he would have been willing to listen to whatever was upsetting him. The end of their date came and went and he returned to the hotel feeling more confused than ever. He'd been on the show for about two weeks now, give or take a handful of days, and he was already enjoying Yami's company a little too much. It made him wonder if his judgment had been compromised, if his desire to believe Yami over Vivian was only because he had a serious crush on the man.

The thing was, he'd been drawn in once before by Anzu. There had been signs, little ones granted, that things were not going right. She'd been spending an awful lot of time with Otogi and in the process she'd pulled away from Yuugi a little. Jou and Malik had tried to tell him that something wasn't right, but Yuugi hadn't wanted to believe them. He'd been so happy that he had been unable to imagine that Anzu didn't feel the same way. He couldn't help wondering now if the same thing was happening with Yami. If, in spite of his claim that he had broken up with Vivian for good, Yami really was just 'sowing his wild oats'. Yuugi had been an oat once. He didn't want to be an oat again.

So he spent the days between his next date with Yami with Jou, Malik and Ryou, avoiding the topic of Yami - and the man himself, period. Ryou kept sending him questioning looks and he knew that as soon as the two of them were alone Ryou would be trying to find out what had Yuugi so wound up, which was why he made sure that they weren't. Once or twice Yami came to his door but it was easy enough to not answer and to ignore the occasional message that came to his phone. It worked until the morning of his next date with Yami, when Jou let himself in with Ryou and Malik right behind them.

"Ryou just got the strangest e-mail from Anzu," Jou said without hesitation, folding his arms. He looked much better. Yuugi wasn't sure what Seto had done, but the blond had recovered from his brief bout with depression by the time Yuugi had returned and he hadn't succumbed since.

"Really," Yuugi said, his stomach tightening. "And what did it say?"

"That she's engaged," Ryou said gently, keeping his voice light and non-confrontational. "She sent a mass e-mail out to every one of her contacts, I think."

Yuugi hadn't gotten the e-mail. He wondered if he should have considered himself lucky that she had told him over the phone instead. If nothing else he supposed he should be grateful to the show since it meant that he had been spared being told in person. He wasn't sure that he would have been able to stand looking Anzu in the face while she talked about marrying another man. "I already knew," he muttered when it became obvious that they were waiting for him to speak. "She called me on Saturday and told me."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Ryou walked over to the bed and sat down, wrapping an arm around Yuugi's shoulders. "I thought you seemed miserable, but I didn't want to pry."

"I guess I figured it shouldn't be a big deal," Yuugi admitted, drawing aimless figures over the bedspread. It wasn't really a lie. He _did_ think that, except he knew that it wasn't true. The fog that he had existed in for the past few days had been proof of that. It bothered him that after all this time the things Anzu said and did still had an effect on his life whether he wanted them to or not. He groaned. "Why can't I just get over her already? Why does this still bother me so much?"

Malik threw himself across the bottom of the bed and drew one leg up. His lavender eyes were tired. "It took me a long time to get over Rishid," he said with a soft, bitter smile.

At the name Yuugi stilled, and then he looked up at Malik. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to mention that night. "Do you… still think about him?" he asked hesitantly, wondering if the question was one that he should be asking.

"Sometimes. Mostly I think about where he might be or what he might be doing, if he ever thinks about me or misses me. Stupid stuff like that." Malik sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Sometimes I wonder if he knows we're still alive or if he thinks that we're dead. I never dared to ask Nee-san if she heard anything about him. Just mentioning his name upsets her too much."

Yuugi wasn't really sure what to say to that. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to talk about it," he said at length. It was rare that he kept anything from his friends but there were just some things that were off limits.

"We understand that," Ryou said gently. "I just want to make sure you understand that we're here for you, Yuugi. There's no need for you to try and deal with something like that on your own, you know."

"I do," Yuugi said with a small smile. "But talking about it makes it seem like it's so real." He bit his lip, not prepared to go into any details about Yami or Vivian. His friends might advise him to leave Yami behind entirely and he _knew_ he wasn't going to be able to do that. Just the thought of not seeing Yami again hurt, like a sharp ache in his chest. Somehow in the span of a couple of weeks the man had gotten into his blood and he wanted Yami badly, wanted to know what it would be like to held and touched and to do so in return.

Ryou was watching him carefully. "Just remember that not everyone is Anzu," he pointed out. "Not everyone is going to do what she did, Yuugi. Yami really seems to like you."

"I know that." Yuugi slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. There were several text messages from Yami and he suspected that he knew what most of them would say. He felt guilty for ignoring Yami and he knew that there was no way he would be able to go on his next date without doing something to mend the bridge between them. He had no interest in talking about something so personal on national television. That would only make things worse. "I think I'm going to talk to Yami."

"Really?" Ryou seemed pleased by this announcement. "That's a good idea."

"Do any of you know where their rooms are?"

"He's in room 1406," Ryou replied instantly. "Next door to Bakura."

There was a long pause during which everyone just stared at Ryou, who slowly began to turn an interesting shade of pink. Yuugi smiled, momentarily forgetting about Anzu and Vivian in favor of being able to tease his friend. "And just how do you know that?" he asked.

Ryou flushed deeper. "I... Bakura told me where his room was," he said reluctantly, twining his fingers together nervously. "And I might have visited it, once." At the looks he was receiving, he coughed. "It's not like that. He twisted his ankle while we were on the group date. I just wanted to make sure that he was alright, that's all. He wouldn't let me call the nurse to make sure that it was healing properly." He sounded defensive.

"So that's where you've been spending all your time!" Malik was grinning. "I wondered where you were. Every morning when I wake up you're already gone. I thought you were out exploring the city. I should've guessed you were spending time with him." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"It's not like that," Ryou repeated determinedly. "Bakura's... he's..." He shook his head, like words weren't enough to express it. "And then I'm just... you know. I don't have anything to offer him. At least you guys have futures." There was an unaccustomed note of bitterness in his voice. Yuugi exchanged a long look with Jou and Malik. Another one of those rarely touched upon topics was university, in conjunction with Ryou's family. What his father had done to him was nothing short of cruel and they all knew it. Jou had mentioned once that they should track the man down someday just for the pleasure of being able to punch him in the face. Ryou would never let him do it, of course, but it was nice to dream.

"You might still get there someday, Ryou," Yuugi said gently. He looked around at the four of them. They were a mismatched group, to be certain, each of them with their own little problems, and sometimes he wondered how they would ever be able to overcome all of them in order to find a place where they might belong. Because although they had been doing just fine on their own he didn't know how much longer they could keep doing it. He didn't know about the others, but he ached to find someone who loved him as much as he wanted to love them. He stood up. "Why don't we all go?"

"Eh? Go where?" Jou suddenly looked nervous.

"To find Yami, Bakura, Mariku and Seto, of course. I need to talk to Yami and if the other guys are around it would be a great chance for you to see them without having to come up with an excuse for why you did." Yuugi smiled mischievously, pleased with his own cunning. "You can just say that I needed emotional support or something like that."

"Err... I'll just... stay here..."

"You're coming too, Jou," Malik said, rolling off of the bed and landing neatly on his feet. He grabbed Jou's arm and hoisted the other blond off of the bed, ignoring Jou's protest. Ryou stood up as well and the four of them went to the door together.

**YY**

Atemu was reclining on the window seat, staring outside at the bustling city street, when the door opened and Seto came in carrying a bag. He took one look at his prince and the sour expression on his face and sighed out loud. "Let me guess. Vivian again?"

"How did you know?" Atemu asked without bothering to return around. He watched in the reflection of the glass as his cousin walked across the room and took something out of his bag, hiding it quickly in his closet.

"She's the only person who has ever been able to put that look on your face," Seto replied, turning around again. "Although lately Yuugi has become a close second. Sometimes I wonder if it's the right thing, us being here. I don't really see you as being any happier, Atemu. This was supposed to be something that would make your chance better, not worse."

"Seto..."

"No, I want you to hear me out. Your birthday is swiftly approaching and you're running out of time. If you don't think that Yuugi is the one, I think you should cut your losses and try elsewhere. I know you don't want to hear that but the fact remains, it is what it is. Unless you've changed your mind?" He lowered his gaze and looked at the ring on Atemu's little finger before glancing up at him questioningly. Atemu turned around and looked back at him.

"No, I haven't. I'm going to keep my promise," he replied, and Seto just nodded, having expected the answer. Atemu looked down at the ring and twisted it, his fingers running along the familiar grooves thoughtfully. "I really like Yuugi, Cousin. I don't know him very well, but what I've seen I like. He's very sweet, some would almost say naive, and yet just when I think he is too innocent he says or does something that proves he is much more experienced in the world than one would initially assume. And yet, when I am with him all I want to do is take him into my arms and make his troubles disappear. The thought of anyone hurting him or making him cry enrages me." Atemu shook his head, troubled. "It worries me that I feel so strongly for him when we haven't known each other for very long. I've never felt this way before for anyone. What does it mean?"

"I wish I could tell you," Seto replied, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. His icy blue eyes were filled with weariness. "It makes me happy to hear you speak this way because it sounds, to the uneducated ear, like you're in love. But..."

"But you have thought this about me before," Atemu finished, remembering Vivian with a pang. What he had felt for Vivian was nothing compared to what he now felt for Yuugi and that worried him. It had been difficult enough to recover from what Vivian had done. Even now it felt like it would be painfully easy for Yuugi to tear him apart. If things went further, if these feelings got any stronger, there was no telling what would happen. Did he really feel confident giving so much power to someone else? Perhaps there was a reason his father had so vehemently denied his desire to marry for love.

"I just don't want you to end up unhappy."

"I don't want that either, Seto, believe me, but I can't just walk away now. Now that I now what it's like to be with Yuugi, I don't want to be without him." He stopped, not ready to admit that the past few days without Yuugi had been harder than he'd anticipated. "I think that if I walked away now there would never be anyone else who could compare."

There was sympathy in Seto's face and it was painfully hard to see. Atemu had to look away. They were sitting in silence when a knock came upon the door and Seto stood up to answer. He made a surprised sound as he opened the door and Atemu's eyes widened when he glanced up and saw that Yuugi was standing there wearing a shy smile. His three friends were clustered behind him.

"Hi," Yuugi said hesitantly. "Are we… interrupting?"

"No," said Seto, casting a knowing look over his shoulder. "I was just heading out, actually. Come on, Pup." He directed this last comment towards Jou, who scowled. "We have work to do."

Jou twitched but nodded. "Yeah, alright."

"Mariku and Bakura are next door," Seto added, stepping past Yuugi. He shot Atemu a significant look and shut the door, leaving the two of them alone. Yuugi was looking at the ground, not meeting Atemu's gaze. Atemu sighed, realizing that he would have to be the one who made the first move, and stood up.

"Good morning Yuugi," he said. His tone came out a little more brisk than he would have liked and he saw Yuugi wince. A small feeling of guilt rose up inside of him but he ruthlessly pressed it down. He didn't know what was going on with Yuugi but he wasn't going to put himself out there anymore until he heard some explanations. This had to go both ways and he'd done just about all of the reaching out that he could take.

"Good morning." Yuugi's voice was very quiet, nearly unheard even in the silence of the room. He was staring intently at the floor like it was fascinating but at last he lifted his head and gave Atemu an uncertain smile. "Alright?"

"Not particularly, no. I have to admit I'm rather wondering what you're doing here."

Yuugi winced. "I came to speak to you."

"Really? Because I thought that we were finished. That's the impression I had received considering that that for the last three days I've been having a relationship with your door." It shouldn't have felt as good as it did to see the way that Yuugi's jaw clenched at the unkind words. "No offense, Yuugi, but I'm getting tired of this. I realize that you were hurt at one time and I can understand that, but if you're going to pull away with no explanation every time I turn around, then - "

"Anzu's getting married."

Those three simple words stopped Atemu just as he was gearing up for a lecture. He paused, discomfited, and didn't say anything for a moment. From what he knew about Yuugi, an announcement like that would've definitely thrown him for a loop. It didn't ease his hurt over being ignored but he did soften a little. "How did you find that out?"

"She called and told me," Yuugi said with a bitter smile.

"I assume that's the call you got on Saturday that made you start acting so strangely?" Atemu said.

"That's part of it. I know you said I could talk to you about her, but it was just…" Yuugi shook his head slowly. "I wasn't ready to talk about it. She said she wanted me to find from her instead of reading about it on Facebook or something like that, but I… I wasn't expecting it. I needed some time to myself. But it was wrong of me to push you away like that. I should've said something. I'm sorry."

Atemu could practically feel himself softening further. Not good. "Yes, you should have," he said, trying and failing to inject a note of annoyance into his voice. "I was concerned about you at first and then I just got frustrated. You can't hide yourself away every time something goes wrong. That's not how a relationship works." He sucked in a sharp breath, realizing that his comment could've been misconstrued as an ugly remark towards Yuugi's ill-fated relationship with Anzu, but fortunately Yuugi didn't seem to take it that way.

"I know. And for what it's worth, I really am sorry, Yami. I don't have a lot of experience in relationships and… I'll get better, I promise." He paused. "There was… something else. Vivian - "

"I keep telling you, there is nothing going on between us!" Atemu interrupted, exasperated. For the past three years he'd been tormented by that one mistake. Sometimes it felt like Vivian's shadow was going to hang over him forever and that was_ not_ a pleasant feeling. He'd tried so hard to move past her and now he had to wonder if she was going to ruin his last chance. "Yuugi, I wish that you would forget about her. Vivian was a mistake that I deeply regret and if there was a way to erase her and her influence I would." Unfortunately not even his power extended that far. "I don't know what else to tell you, but if you can't move past this…"

"It's fine," Yuugi said suddenly. He was wearing a strained smile and his hands were out in a placating position in front of him. "I won't talk about her anymore with you, Yami, I promise."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't _think_ about her, either," Atemu said, but he'd relaxed slightly. He crossed the room and reached out to touch Yuugi's shoulder. Slowly, he allowed his hand to slide down until he could take Yuugi's hand in his, intertwining their fingers, enjoying the way Yuugi flushed pale pink. It was adorable. It was moments like this that allowed him to see a future with Yuugi at his side. He pressed the back of Yuugi's hand to his lips and smiled. "So what do you say? Have we still got a date tonight?"

Yuugi looked at him for a long, thoughtful moment before he nodded. "Absolutely."

* * *

Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Some time to focus on the others, I think. I wasn't sure how this would turn out but in the end I was really happy with it. Enjoy!

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Jou and Seto departed as soon as the door was closed, leaving Mariku, Malik, Bakura and Ryou standing in the corridor. Ryou folded his arms across his stomach and tried to ignore the other three, who were blatantly eavesdropping on the bedroom where Yuugi and Yami were. They weren't even trying to hide it! Apparently Yuugi wasn't the only one who had been having a rough couple of days judging by how eagerly Mariku and Bakura had pressed their ears against the door, and Malik was right there beside them. He couldn't help rolling his eyes, though. Malik caught the movement and sent him a pout.

"Don't judge. Not everyone can know what's going on just by looking at Yuugi," he said.

"I can't either," Ryou pointed out. He could make educated guesses and nothing more. He reached out and firmly took hold of Malik's earlobe, pinching the thin flesh and giving a pointed tug. "Get away from there, Malik. You know better than that. Yuugi deserves to have privacy. And I don't think Yami would be very happy to know that you two were trying to listen in, either," he added.

"We're doing this for the good of the country," Mariku replied, not moving an inch.

"Ow, Ryou, let go," Malik whined at the same time.

"The good of your country?" Ryou repeated, raising an eyebrow and reluctantly releasing Malik. "I'm not sure that I follow. How exactly is eavesdropping on one of your friends for the good of the country?"

Mariku muttered something unintelligible under his breath and then tensed. "Oh god, Yuugi mentioned that bitch again," he said suddenly.

"Stupid," Bakura said a second later. He and Mariku exchanged a long glance. "I bet she went to visit the kid again while Yami wasn't around. That would be right up Vivian's alley."

Vivian. The name didn't sound familiar to Ryou, nor apparently to Malik, who looked as confused as Ryou felt. "Who's Vivian?" he asked.

Bakura and Mariku looked at each other again and then Mariku shrugged. "He's going to have to find out some time," he pointed out, straightening up and wincing when his back cracked. "It's inevitable at this point. You might as well tell him the truth and get it over with. Maybe he can help."

"Come here." Bakura took Ryou by the wrist and guided him a few steps down the hall to another door. He swiped a passkey through the reader and pushed the door open. Ryou allowed himself to be pulled into the room, which was very similar in decoration and design to the one that he and Malik were sharing on the other side of the floor. Malik and Mariku followed them in and Mariku made sure to shut the door behind them. Ryou regarded them, a confused frown on his face.

"What's going on?" he asked warily, unnerved by the serious way they were looking at him.

"We haven't been honest with you," Bakura told him bluntly. "We're not supposed to share this information with anyone but if we don't then there's a good chance that this is all going to go to hell and we can't take that chance. Yami is the crown prince of Egypt. His real name is Atemu."

Ryou stared. Out of everything in the world that Bakura could have told him at that moment, that was the absolute_ last_ thing he'd been expecting. "Excuse me?"

"Mariku and I work as his bodyguards and Seto is his cousin slash personal advisor," Bakura continued. "Atemu needs to find a wife or husband, it doesn't really matter which, before he can assume the throne as per his father's orders. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal but he made a promise to his mother that he would only marry for love and he means to keep it. That's why we're here. If he doesn't get married before his next birthday, his father is going to find a wife for him. "

It took a long moment for all of that information to sink in, and when it did Ryou's knees felt weak. He lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. "Yami is the prince of Egypt," he repeated slowly, feeling like his world had been tilted on its axis. "That sounds… ridiculous."

"They can prove it to you," Malik said, looking at Mariku. Mariku nodded and went over to his suitcase, sliding his hand into the pocket on the front. He pulled out a passport and tossed it to Ryou, who only just managed to catch it. He opened it and looked down at the information on the front page. It was about Mariku, and he had been awarded specialty status as a bodyguard to the prince of Egypt. The official document was pretty irrefutable evidence but there was some part of Ryou that didn't want to believe it.

"But why Japan?" he said, not taking his eyes off of the passport. "Surely Yami, Atemu, could have found someone in Egypt. I'd almost think that his father would have preferred that."

"He would have," Bakura said. "But Atemu is the prince. There're a lot of people who try to get close to him just for the opportunity to leach off of him. He wants to marry for love but he doesn't want to get his heart broken in the process. He's come too close to that already."

There was something in Bakura's tone that made Ryou look at him sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Atemu has dated a lot of people," Mariku said. "A while ago he started dating this woman by the name of Vivian. His father approved of her and for a while she actually seemed like she would be a good match for him. But something about her never seemed to be quite right. Atemu was totally infatuated with her, though, and he would have married her if he hadn't caught on to what she was really like at the last minute. She's a petty, vicious shrew who would do anything to be queen. He broke off the engagement and asked her to leave Egypt and not return. As far as his father and everyone else are concerned the two of them just had a fight and they ended things mutually. Vivian left because she didn't want her name dragged through the mud. Somehow she discovered that Atemu is here in Japan and she's been showing up on his dates with Yuugi. We think she's trying to scare Yuugi away so that Atemu won't have any choice. After Atemu's birthday she can suck up to his father and the engagement will be back on." Mariku looked sick at the thought.

Ryou frowned at that, the muscles tightening around his jaw. Finally he said quietly, "She cheated on him, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did," Mariku confirmed. "With one of Atemu's personal guards. He wouldn't have found out if the guard hadn't felt guilty and confessed. Even then he didn't want to believe it but he could hardly continue thinking she was innocent with a personal testimony." He folded his arms, not deigning to mention that he, Bakura and Seto had had a role in convincing the guard to confess. Judging by the somewhat amused look on Ryou's face, he'd already guessed that part of it. He glanced at the passport again and sighed.

"Malik…" he said finally. "You knew about this?"

Malik smiled sheepishly. "Well, yes. You guys know that Isis and I come from Egypt. One of the reasons we left was to get away from Yami's… Atemu's… father, the Pharaoh. My clan doesn't like him very much and the feeling is mutual. If he knew that the two of us were living here we might get into trouble. I recognized Atemu the moment that I saw him. I just didn't say anything."

"Why not?" Ryou looked up at him, bewildered. "Why would you keep something like that a secret? Don't you know how angry Yuugi is going to be when he finds out?"

"It's not my secret to tell," Malik said gently. Even after seeing the way Yuugi was steadily getting more attached to Atemu, he still believed that. It would not look good if the information came from anyone else. Atemu was the one who was going to have to admit it, not Malik. "I tried my best to caution Yuugi about getting too attached but I'm not going to be the one who makes or breaks this relationship. I told you the same thing about Bakura, if you remember."

"That's right, you did." Ryou took a deep breath. This was a _lot_ of information to absorb in just a handful of minutes. He knew it would take a while to be able to think of Yami as Atemu, the prince of Egypt, but that - and the fact that Bakura had been lying to him, or at least omitting a good portion of the truth, all this time - would have to be put aside for later. In the meantime, there was someone trying to mess with his friends, and he wasn't one to stand aside and watch that happen. There was a glint of determination in his eyes when he handed the passport back to Mariku. "Just tell me what you want me to do."

"That's my boy," Malik said with a broad grin. He'd been hoping that Ryou would come around to their way of thinking.

"Atemu told us about the first time Vivian interrupted them. But when we were listening at the door we heard Yuugi start to say something else about her," Mariku said. "I think she approached him again."

"That could make a lot of sense," Ryou said slowly, rubbing his chin. "Yuugi's been really upset during the past couple of days. I thought it just had something to do with the fact that Anzu, his ex-girlfriend, is getting married, but he already knew about it when we went in to tell him. If you say that this girl has been talking to him that could explain why he's been so quiet."

"Do you think you could get him to talk about it?" Bakura asked.

"If anyone could it would be you," Malik added.

"I'm not sure." Ryou frowned. He and Yuugi were very close, it was true, and there was usually little that the two of them didn't share, but ever since they'd come on the show he felt like there were secrets Yuugi wasn't telling him. Which was fine - they were adults, after all - but Ryou wasn't sure how far he would be able to pry before Yuugi started getting suspicious. "I can try."

"And we're also going to need you and Bakura to tag along on the date tonight," Mariku said.

"What?" Bakura's head whipped around and he glared at Mariku. "Why the hell do I have to be the one to go? I don't even like cooking."

"Malik and I have plans," Mariku replied, reaching out and slinging an arm around Malik's shoulders. He pulled the boy closer and slipped his hand down, squeezing the curve of Malik's ass pointedly. "Important plans that I hardly think you're going to want to be around for, anyway."

"Besides, Ryou loves to cook," Malik said. "It's the perfect cover."

Bakura muttered some unpleasant under his breath before adding, "Are you sure we can't just kill the bitch and hide her body somewhere? It would make this a hell of a lot easier and I can assure you that between Mariku and me, no one would ever find her."

"You're not allowed to kill innocent people," Ryou said absently.

"She's not innocent!"

Ryou pinned him with a Look. "Don't think I forgot that you've essentially been lying to me, too," he said in a crisp voice. "We're going to be talking about that."

Bakura's mouth dropped open but he seemed to be too speechless to be able to form a response. Mariku took one look at the expression on his face and burst into wild laughter. "Oh my god," he choked out through a volley of cackles, doubling over. "I can't remember the last time I saw someone shut Bakura up that fast. Ryou, sweetheart, can I kiss you?"

"Sorry, Mariku, I think Malik would have something to say about that." Ryou felt a little calmer now that he had something to do, something he could easily focus on. He stood up, already thinking about how he might be able to approach Yuugi before the date. There wouldn't be much time, but if he could make sure that no one disturbed them while Yuugi was getting ready… well, it would be worth a shot, at least. He firmly pushed aside all thoughts of Egypt and princes and decided to think about the fact that a woman was threatening the best relationship Yuugi had ever been a part of. "How do you know what tonight's date is? I thought it was supposed to be a surprise."

"Ah, they've had all of those dates planned for months, Ryou," Malik said, gracefully stepping out of the way as Bakura, finally fed up with Mariku's hysterics, made a dive for the blond. The two of them went crashing to the ground. "They needed to know in advance to make sure everything was booked and set up. They're going to be taking lessons at some cooking school downtown."

"Wow, nice." Ryou's eyes widened appreciatively. "But how are Bakura and I going to infiltrate that? It's a dating show so I assume that they're going to be having a private lesson."

"There will be other classes going on at the same time," Mariku said, his voice somewhat muffled, considering that his face was pinned beneath Bakura's leg. "You two can pretend to be a part of those and then sneak off to make sure Vivian doesn't show up. If she does, you can take care of her and make that Atemu and Yuugi don't see you or her. The classes will be just an excuse if they do happen to see you."

"I see," Ryou sighed. He stood up and paused. "Does Jou know about this?"

"No, not as far as we know." Bakura dusted his hands off and got up, ignoring Mariku's annoyed muttering. "But with the way Seto is acting it probably won't be long before he does. He's totally infatuated with that kid."

"Alright. Come on, Malik. Yuugi is probably waiting for us to go have lunch." He turned towards the door, mind already racing. How on Earth was he going to get Yuugi to talk about the one subject that Ryou wasn't supposed to know about and that Yuugi had been going out of his way to avoid?

**YY**

If it weren't for the fact that Seto had promised to help him see Shizuka, Jou wouldn't have willingly gotten in the car with the man. He hadn't forgotten the strange little episode that had transpired between the two of them, when Seto had pinned him to the bed and… god. His cheeks flushed at the thought of it and he squirmed a little in his seat, pointedly turning his head to look out the window. He'd never been with a guy before - well, to be honest he'd never been with anyone - and he wasn't sure that the thought of having Seto do it again should have been as exciting as it was. Every time he banished it from his mind they inevitably came sweeping back and it was beginning to drive him crazy. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath.

"Where are we going?" he asked. His voice came out a little strained but otherwise he sounded relatively normal, thank god for that.

"I told you. We're going to see your sister," Seto said calmly, taking a right.

Jou glanced out the window. He recognized where they were going now. "Don't tell me you forgot what happened the last time?" he said, not wanting another confrontation with his mother so soon after the last one. Her cutting words and the way she'd looked at him, like he wasn't good enough to be breathing the same air as her, still hurt.

"No," Seto replied. "I don't think I could forget that even if I wanted to. But as it turns out your mother works as an assistant to someone who owes me a favor. It wasn't overly difficult to make sure that she would be unexpectedly out of the house all day today. Shizuka should be home alone in the next hour."

"You…" Jou stared at him with an open mouth, stunned by the simplicity of the plan. If there was one thing that Kawai Noriko would not risk, it was her job. She'd had to search long and hard for a decent job without a high school diploma and she took great pride in the work that she did; she would never take the chance of leaving early and putting her job in jeopardy even if it meant that Shizuka would be home by herself. They would be able to sneak in, see Shizuka for a couple of hours, and leave without Noriko ever being the wiser.

Seto shot him a smirk, apparently pleased by his shock. "Sometimes the best plans are the ones that require little to no subterfuge," he said.

Still a little dumbfounded, Jou just nodded and looked down at his lap. His heart was pounding and he didn't know if it was because he was finally getting his chance to see Shizuka or because Seto was being so kind. "Thank you," he said quietly, and the words were hard to force out, especially to a prick like Seto.

"You're welcome."

Those were the last words they spoke until Seto pulled the car up to the curb a few houses away from the Kawai residence. Jou just sat there for a moment, gathering his courage, before he opened his door and got out. At this time of the day the neighborhood was quiet and no one gave them a second look. Acting like you belonged really was the perfect camouflage. He swallowed hard and looked over at the house. He could walk right up to it and knock on the door, wait for his baby sister to answer, but suddenly that seemed like it would take a lot of effort. After all of the planning and agonizing, his opportunity to see Shizuka was here and he… he didn't know what to do about that.

A warm hand came down on his shoulder. Seto stepped in front of him and tilted Jou's chin up with his other hand, until burning blue was all that Jou could see. "You'll be fine," Seto said, and then he leaned down and kissed him, brushing their lips together with an aching simplicity that somehow seemed to be more erotic than a full-on kiss would have been. "Come on."

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Please review!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews! I couldn't resist picking up where it left off because Shizuka and Jou are just too cute together. Enjoy!

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Numbly Jou followed him down the street and up the driveway. Seto paused and gestured for him to go first, to knock on the door. Jou's hand was shaking when he rapped on the wood and he froze as his arm fell limply back to his side, half-expecting to see that the door would be opened by his mother after all. But no - the curtains in the front window twitched and he heard a familiar yelp, and then the door was yanked open and Shizuka was standing there. Her face was flushed with excitement, pretty eyes sparkling, and she lunged forward and caught him around the waist with a fierce hug that would've toppled them both over had Seto not reached out and grabbed Jou's shoulder to steady him.

"Nii-chan!" Shizuka cried happily into his shoulder, her slender hands clutching at his shirt. "You kept your promise after all! I knew that you would."

"Of course," Jou said, closing his eyes and dropping his head onto her hair. She smelled sweet, like strawberries, and she was warm, and he wanted to stay this way with her forever. All too soon, though, she was pulling away to beam up at him happily and he couldn't do anything except smile back at her. It had been a long time since he'd seen her this close and he couldn't resist reaching out to brush a strand of hair back from her cheek. Shizuka let him do it, grinning.

"Come on, I want to show you my room," she said enthusiastically, gripping his arm and pulling him inside. Seto followed, and once they were all in the house with the door safely closed Shizuka looked at him curiously. "Are you Nii-chan's friend?" she asked.

"Yes," Seto said with a short nod. "The one you spoke to one the phone. It's nice to meet you, Shizuka-chan."

Shizuka's smile was brilliant. "It's nice to meet you! I've been wanting to meet more of Nii-chan's friends. He talks about them so often but I've only ever met Yuugi." She sent Jou a mock-frown and shook her head. "Sometimes I think he's trying to keep them a secret from me."

"Not at all," Jou croaked out once he realized she was waiting for him to respond. The truth was that he got so little time with Shizuka that he always wanted to spend it alone with her so that her attention would focused solely on him. He was selfish enough to know that he didn't like the idea of sharing her with anyone else. But somehow, it wasn't that bad having Seto along. He trailed the two of them up the stairs and into a room with lilac walls, watching as Shizuka darted over to her desk and picked up a photo album. She showed it to them and began talking enthusiastically. Jou sat down on her bed and let the words wash over him, saving them up to be examined in close detail later on. It wasn't until Seto nudged him in the side that he realized he had best start paying closer attention before Shizuka noticed his distraction.

"And this is my best friend Kyoko," Shizuka was saying, pointing to one of the pictures. It showed her and a girl with a dark hair tied up into pigtails. They were dressed in bathing suits and standing at the edge of a beach. "We went on a swimming trip with my class at school."

"You went to the ocean," Jou noted, looking up at her with a smile. He had many fond memories of being at the ocean with his sister. It was the last place they had gone to together before Noriko had made the decision to move out with Shizuka. "Did you have fun?"

"It was awesome," she confirmed enthusiastically. She set the album down and moved over to her desk, picking something up. She turned towards Jou and Seto and held her hands out to show them a tiny, perfectly formed pink shell. The delicate color tapered off into a light violet at the edges. Jou took it from her and rubbed his thumb over the edge, enjoying the smooth, china-like feel.

"You like your school, then?" Seto asked.

"Oh yes, very much. I joined the swim club and I might try out for cheerleading this year."

Seto nodded. "Those sound like fun."

"Well, it will be my last year, so I'd like to do something to remember it by." She flashed a smile.

"Your last year? I thought you had graduated."

"I was held back a year when I got sick," she explained, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was out of school so much that I just couldn't keep up and eventually my teachers and Kaa-san decided that it would be better if I just restarted the year. There was way too much material for me to make up. I don't really mind, though. I like school."

"And what will you do afterwards?"

"Oh, I don't know." Shizuka sat down in her desk chair, a slight frown on her face. "Kaa-san wants me to keep on living at home and go to the college here in town. But I thought I might like to go to Domino University." She cast a shy glance in Jou's direction. "Only, she said that if I went anywhere else she wouldn't help to pay for my education. I'd be on my own for everything and I don't know if I would be able to get a scholarship or a job that could pay for it all. So I might end up staying here."

Jou battled with himself. On the one hand, the thought of Shizuka living in the same place as him was exciting. He relished the idea of being able to see her whenever he wanted. But on the other hand she did have a point. Money was, and always would be, a concern if she moved out of the house. He could barely support himself and there was no way he would be able to help out even if he wanted to. It was just like their mother to put a stipulation on something so important; it was another way for her to keep controlling Shizuka even after she had become old enough to move out on her own if she wanted. With effort, he forced himself to smile.

"I don't think it would be so bad for you to go to the college here," he said, hoping that his dismay didn't show. If only he was a richer man… but he'd reached a point where he knew those kinds of dreams would never come true. "Maybe you could get a job and save up some money so that when you were done you could move to Domino City then."

"Yeah, maybe," Shizuka said softly, not bothering to point out that it was likely Noriko would find some way to put a dent in that, too.

Seto glanced between the two of them and his jaw tightened. He shifted and the palm of his hand came to rest on Jou's back, solid and warm, as he said, "You don't need to think about it now. You've still got a whole year until you graduate. A lot can happen in that time."

"You're right," she agreed with a tiny smile. "Anyway I've only just started looking into scholarships and things like that. I asked one of my teachers to help me research them. There are loads of them, you know, and while I don't quality for all of them even a little bit would help." She looked at Jou again. "I would… I'd like it if we didn't have to go so long without seeing each other again, Nii-chan."

There was a lump in Jou's throat. Seto's hand slipped beneath the hem of his shirt and splayed across his skin, a comforting presence, and he said, "I'd like that too, sis. We'll make it work somehow."

Shizuka nodded and seemed to take that as though it was set in stone. What Jou didn't tell her was that he had no idea how that was going to happen, not when he thought about all of the obstacles that were in their way. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to lean against Seto just a bit as Shizuka started talking about the beach trip she'd taken with her class again. For the time being he was just going to enjoy being with her and try not to think about the fact that it was going to end all too soon.

**YY**

Yuugi was surprised when he came down for lunch and found that Ryou was the only one waiting for him. He'd been expecting that Jou and Malik would be joining them. "Where are the others?" he asked.

"Malik is off with Mariku," Ryou replied, turning to walk into the restaurant. "They said they were going to go out for lunch and then to a movie. And I think Jou went somewhere with Seto. They really seem to be warming up to each other fast considering that they got off to such a bad start."

"That's good," Yuugi said as they slipped into a booth. He picked up his menu and started flipping through it. He wasn't really hungry but it was a long time until dinner. "I think Seto will be a lot better for Jou than someone like Mai ever could."

Ryou took one look at his expression and chuckled. "Not getting along well with Mai?"

"She's a pain," Yuugi said flatly. There was no other way to describe her as far as he was concerned. Though Mai's persistent flirting with Yami seemed to have slowed down a little ever since their stunt with getting out from under the cameras, she was still being a pest, now taking every opportunity to make sure that he and Yami were 'following the rules'. He was pretty sure he'd nearly caught her hanging around outside of Yami's door earlier, too. Just the idea that she'd been trying to eavesdrop was enough to make him fume. "I don't think that Jou would have gotten along very well with her. Mai is after someone who has money."

"Is she the only one?" Ryou asked after a pause.

Yuugi looked up and his first thought that Ryou was accusing him of being the same way died when he saw the meaningful look that Ryou was giving him. In that moment there was no doubt in Yuugi's mind that his friend had somehow figured out exactly what was going on with him, Yami and Vivian, though he had no idea how Ryou had done it. He sighed and closed the menu. "How did you find out?"

Seemingly pleased that they weren't going to dance around, Ryou said, "Yami told Bakura and Mariku about the first time Vivian crashed your date. Apparently the only people less pleased about it than you and Yami were those two. They're petrified of the idea that Yami and Vivian might end up getting married."

"Why would that matter to them?" Yuugi asked, baffled.

"Err…" Ryou looked unaccountably flustered. "She's not… well, she doesn't sound like a very nice person, does she? Bakura told me what happened, about what she did to Yami and how he broke it off after he realized what she was really like, and I think that they're worried he might fall back in with her. They don't want that for him any more than we would want you to go back to Anzu if she and Otogi broke up." He leaned forward a little, looking at Yuugi seriously. "I think that everyone is a little concerned that Vivian might be trying to chase you away so that she'll be free to catch Yami on the rebound. Has she approached you again?"

"Yes," he admitted, if only because it seemed pointless to try and stay quiet about it. "On our last date, while I was waiting outside the store for Yami, she came over to me. She must have been following us. She said some things and then she walked away." He shrugged, hoping that he seemed unaffected by the encounter and knowing that it was likely Ryou would see straight through him. "Yami told me that he doesn't want to talk about her and it only seems fair that I respect his wishes."

"What did she say to you?" Ryou asked.

"Nothing in particular. Just garbage about how she was the one Yami is meant to be with." Every word that she'd said was still scripted in vivid detail in Yuugi's mind. He didn't think he'd ever forget them. But he couldn't bring himself to repeat them. It felt like admitting that he thought she might be right.

"You know that's not true, don't you?"

"How can I? Honestly, Ryou. Yami's told me a dozen times that there is nothing between him and Vivian. I want to believe him because I can see how much it means to him, but…" Yuugi shook his head, frustrated. "Sometimes I just feel like there's something Yami is hiding from me. He's holding back from me and okay, that's fine, we only just met a few weeks so I guess that's fair. There's things about me that I haven't told him either. But…" He trailed off and shrugged again, unsure of how to put his feelings into words. "I don't know. Sometimes I wonder whether or not this is going to work out. I like Yami but I'm not sure he's worth all this."

Ryou looked stricken. "Maybe you just don't know him well enough," he suggested. "Like you said, you only just met a few weeks ago. That could be way you're feeling this way."

"No, it's something more, something bigger. I don't know why I feel this way, I just know that I do, and I've learned that ignoring my instincts only leads to trouble. So…" He drummed his fingers on the table. "I'm going to keep dating Yami but I'm going to do it with the thought in mind that he might still be interested in Vivian until I have proof that he's not."

"I suppose that's fair," Ryou said quietly, though he didn't look very pleased. He toyed with his spoon. "Yuugi, if you and Yami… I mean, if things worked out between you, would you think about moving to Egypt to be with him?"

The question didn't really surprise Yuugi. He'd thought about it himself once or twice. This was, after all, supposed to be a dating game with an ultimate goal of love. Before he could respond, the waitress came over. Once they'd given their orders, Yuugi looked back at Ryou and said, "I'd have to think about it. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable having so much distance between me and Jii-chan. I'd be so far away if something happened to him. And of course there's you guys. We've never been apart for more than a few days."

"That may not be a concern you have to worry about." Ryou's smile was weak.

"Really?" Yuugi tilted his head curiously. "That serious?"

"Bakura is… everything I never knew that I wanted." This time it was Ryou who looked away. He fidgeted, stirring his glass of ice water with his straw. "He's dangerous and he's broken the law on more than one occasion and I'm sure that if we stay together at some point I'm going to have to go bail him out of jail. But I really like him, Yuugi. He makes me want to do things that I didn't think I would be able to do. He makes me feel alive and I love that about him." Ryou stopped, his doe brown eyes opening wide in surprise at what had just come out of his mouth. "Oh my," he mumbled and suddenly he looked a little sick.

"Take a drink," Yuugi instructed and Ryou did, gulping at the water like he was dying of thirst. "I think it's great, Ryou, if you like him that much. You're so confident. It makes me wish I could be that way about Yami. Maybe you should've been the one to go on this show."

"Hardly," Ryou said with a small smirk. "I shudder to think of the hard time Bakura would've given the producers. If you think Mai is bad with Yami, she and Bakura likely would have killed each other by now." He paused and Yuugi could tell that he was thinking hard. "Yuugi, maybe you should talk to Yami. Not about Vivian, I know he told you not to bring her up again. But about the fact that you think he's holding something important back from you and it's upsetting you. Maybe there is and he's - " He paused. "What?"

Yuugi had been giving him a look of disbelief and now he laughed a little. "I thought it was Mai listening outside the door but it wasn't. It was you guys! I never told you that Yami asked me not to bring Vivian up again. I should have known." He shook his head, amused. "I'd have thought better of you, Ryou."

Ryou flushed. "It was Mariku and Bakura and Malik, not me, and I was the one who made them stop," he grumbled, a little annoyed at having been caught out so easily. "_Anyway_, what was I saying still stands. You should try to clear the air between you and Yami. It's impossible for the two of you to get any further like this. It's not fair that Yami thinks you're okay with everything when you're not. That's not how you build a good relationship."

"You seem really driven to make me and Yami get together," Yuugi said slowly. "I know you like Yami better than you did Anzu but still. Ryou, do you know something that I don't?"

"No," Ryou said. And then, when Yuugi raised his eyebrows, he sighed and pouted. "Alright, yes, I do. But I can't tell you what it is. I promised Bakura that I wouldn't and I'm not going to break that. Besides, it's not really my secret to tell."

"It's Yami's," Yuugi said and Ryou nodded. He frowned down at his plate as the waitress brought over their orders. He wasn't sure how he felt about having his suspicions confirmed. On the one hand it was good to know that he wasn't just being paranoid, but on the other hand he would have much rather been paranoid than right. What kind of secret was Yami hiding from him?

"Hey, don't do that," Ryou said gently, giving him a light kick under the table. "I can see you starting to come up with all kinds of awful things. It's nothing too bad. Important, yes, but he's not got a secret child or anything like that." He had to laugh when he saw the sheepish expression on Yuugi's face. "Seriously, Yuugi, just ask him. I'm sure he'll tell you if he realizes that you're curious."

"But don't you think that seems pushy? Shouldn't I wait for him to tell me on his own time?" Yuugi didn't know if he _could_ wait, that was the problem.

"Well, I don't know," Ryou said thoughtfully, taking a small bite of food and chewing slowly. He swallowed and went on, "Knowing what I know, I think that you would have told him by now if your situations were reversed. But then you've never been the kind of person to hide secrets from the people you love, Yuugi. I mean, even after all of those people tried to suck up to you when you became the top duelist in Japan you still told Yami the truth about your status not long after you met him. I don't think that everyone can be so honest, but maybe that's why you should encourage him. Let him know that you're willing to hear whatever it is that he might need to tell you. It can't hurt, right?"

"No, I suppose not. The worst he can do is refuse to tell me." Yuugi really hoped that it wouldn't come to that. He liked Yami a lot and he didn't want things to end between them. He wanted to see where things were going, and if that meant he was going to have to confront Yami so be it: he would do it.

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Please review!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** I apologize for updating the wrong chapter; I was out of contact with my internet until now and didn't realize the mistake.

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That night, Yuugi got dressed in a pair of jeans and a casual shirt before he sat down on his bed. In spite of his earlier confidence, he was nervous. This thing with Yami had been going well and he didn't want to screw it up. What he'd seen of Yami so far, he liked. He wanted to get to know Yami better, both as a person and in bed. He brushed his fingers thoughtfully over his mouth, remembering the kisses they'd shared, and then picked up his cell phone. He dialed a familiar number and put the phone to his ear, bouncing his leg anxiously as he waited for someone to pick up on the other end. It didn't take long.

"Good afternoon, Kame Game Shop, how may I help you?"

"Jii-chan?" Yuugi hated the way his voice broke just a little when he said his grandfather's name. It made him feel like a child. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Jii-chan, it's me."

"Yuugi!" Sugoroku's delight was evident. "My boy, I was starting to wonder when you were planning to call me again. I was just thinking about you this morning. We got an enormous shipment of the brand new Duel Monsters cards and I know how much you like being the first one to go through them."

"Yeah," Yuugi said softly. Actually, Sugoroku loved going through them, too. He was every bit as much of a fan as Yuugi was. But he always pretended that he didn't really mind if Yuugi was the one who did the inventory. Sometimes, when time permitted, they were even able to do it together. Suddenly Yuugi missed the game shop desperately. It would be so much simpler if he could be there with his grandfather instead of here. He curled up, pulling his legs up close to his chest. "Tell me about it."

"Well, I think Industrial Illusions is starting to branch out quite a bit. Remember how we talked about the new line of magic cards and you suggested they might be bringing in a new Magician? You might be right about that. There are a few cards here that don't match the Black Magician or anyone else, not completely." Sugoroku paused for a long moment, and when he spoke again his voice had become considerably gentler. "But you didn't call just to hear me prattle on about the cards. What's wrong, Yuugi?"

"It's nothing."

"Yuugi. I can tell by the tone of your voice that it's not nothing. Tell your old grandfather what's wrong."

"You're not old," Yuugi mumbled, sighing. "It's... I think the guy I've been dating has been hiding a few things from me. Ryou says that it's nothing to worry about. He knows what it is but he won't tell me. He says I should talk to Yami and get_ him_ to tell me the truth. And I just..." Yuugi trailed off. He wasn't sure how to put all of his fears into words. That he was terrified of being played again, and that there was something in him that wanted _so much_ to trust Yami that he was frightened by the sheer intensity of it.

"I see. Well, let me ask you a question. Have you told Yami everything about you? About your mother and Duelist Kingdom?" Sugoroku asked.

"No," he admitted quietly.

"You can't really expect this boy to be honest with you if you haven't been honest with him," Sugoroku pointed out. "Yuugi, I think Ryou is right, much as you might dislike hearing it. You're not going to know what's going on until you ask him. Stop letting your mind run away. Stop waiting for him to tell you. Approach this head on and keep in mind that even if things don't work out you'll find someone else eventually. You're a wonderful young man, Yuugi, and I have every confidence that there is someone special out there waiting for you."

It was the same kind of thing that was said, no doubt, by everyone's parents, but it made Yuugi feel warm just to hear it. He smiled. "Thanks, Jii-chan. You and Ryou are right. I know I have to talk to Yami."

"Yes, you do," Sugoroku replied firmly. "Yuugi, love is never going to be easy, believe me. Your grandmother and I had several knock out fights over the years that nearly ended our relationship permanently, but every time we managed to bounce back and do you know why? Because the two of us were willing to communicate. Even if it meant we both stripped naked and had someone else lock us into a room so that we couldn't leave until the issue was properly discussed."

Yuugi couldn't help laughing. "I don't think Yami and I are going to do that."

"Don't knock it, boy. It's a lot more fun than you think.

"Ugh, Jii-chan!" Yuugi complained, shuddering at the mental images that comment produced. "I didn't need to hear that."

Sugoroku chuckled. "Just talk to this boy, Yuugi. I can tell how much you like him. You sound like a completely different person already. You're happier. I haven't heard you be this cheerful in a long time. Whoever he is, he's a good influence on you."

"Yeah, he is," Yuugi murmured. "Thanks, Jii-chan."

"Not a problem. But Yuugi? Whatever he says to you, make sure that you really listen. Sometimes people keep secrets for reasons that might seem silly to the rest of us." Sugoroku sounded unusually serious. "If you're going to ask the question make sure that you're ready to hear the answer."

"Alright, I will," Yuugi said thoughtfully. He said good-bye and hung up before putting the phone back into his pocket. Was he really ready to hear what Yami had to say? Was he ready to share the rest of his own past? He pondered the questions as he left the room and went downstairs to where Yami was waiting for him. One look at Yami, who was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black muscle shirt, and he knew that the answer was yes. Whatever else happened, Yuugi didn't want to walk away from this without giving it the best try that he could. He relaxed and moved closer, tapping Yami on the shoulder. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, smiling as Yami turned to look at him.

"I'm not sure," Yami replied with a grimace. "Mai just told me what the date is going to be."

The look on Yami's face made Yuugi frown uneasily. "What?"

"Cooking lessons."

"Cooking lessons?" Yuugi echoed, stunned. Out of all the dates that the show could have come up with, he hadn't been expecting _that_ one. He knew how to cook a little; it had been one of the few things that he enjoyed doing his mother before the accident. But he'd never really thought about taking lessons and judging by the outraged expression on Yami's face, neither had he. He bit his lip in an effort to hold back a smile.

"Yes, cooking lessons," Yami confirmed, scowling. "I don't know why they couldn't have chosen something more reasonable. What kind of date involves menial labor?"

Yuugi couldn't help it. He burst into laughter. "Oh Yami, come on. It's cooking. It's not like they're asking us to build paint a room or build a fence. Haven't you ever cooked before?"

"No."

"Really?" Yuugi looked at him, startled. "Never?"

"No. We always had servants who did that sort of thing," Yami replied uncomfortably.

"Oh." Yuugi considered that for a moment. "Well, I learned to cook from my mom. She loved to bake. It's not that hard and it can be fun if you pay attention to what you're doing. I think you'll enjoy the experience. My mom used to tell me that everyone should know how to cook _something_, even if all they can make is toast."

Yami finally smiled. "She sounds like she was a good person."

"Yeah, she was, sort of," Yuugi said softly, casting a glance down at the floor. He allowed Yami to take his hand and they walked out to the limo together. Surprisingly, there was no sign of Mai and they were actually allowed to ride without a chaperone.

"Maybe they trust us now," Yami said.

"Poor choice on their part," Yuugi said, mustering up a smile. "Yami?"

"Yes Yuugi?"

"Is there... something you want to tell me?"

It was amazing to see how fast someone could stiffen. Yami's head whipped around and he stared at Yuugi, his crimson eyes wide. He was trying to act casual but it was obvious that the question had gotten to him in a big way. "Why do you ask that?"

Yuugi shrugged. He didn't want to bring Ryou or their other friends into this unless he had to. He said, "I was just curious. Sometimes it seems like there are things that you're not telling me. Big things. Important things." He snuck a quick look at Yami but the expression on the other man's face was indecipherable. "And I understand that because we don't know each other very well yet, so I thought maybe I could tell you something about me and you might be willing to tell me something about you."

"Yuugi..." Yami looked torn and extremely nervous. "I..."

"You don't have to," Yuugi rushed on before he could say anything else. "I mean, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to." Immediately he regretted saying that and wished that he didn't have to be so _nice_ all the time. The whole point of this was to make it an even exchange of information so that they could be honest with each other. He didn't want to bare all and have Yami remain silent.

"But it's bothering you, yes?" Yami said carefully.

"Well... I wouldn't go that far," he lied, and judging by the small smile on Yami's face it was a pretty poor attempt. He took a deep breath and looked out the window. "I was telling the truth when I said that my mother was in a car accident last year. For the most part I let people think that she died because it's usually easier than explaining what really happened. She was… actually the reason that the accident happened in the first place. She was driving while drunk and she ran through an intersection and crashed into another car. No one died at the scene but one of the women in the other car sustained serious injuries, and eventually she died in the hospital a couple of days later." Yuugi's throat felt painfully tight. This was the worst part. "My mother… she fled the scene. We haven't seen her since then. She just… took off. They have her on camera driving away."

It was the one thing he'd never been able to understand. He'd watched the video in spite of the cop telling him that he might not want to see it, and his mother hadn't even stopped to be sure that those other people were alright. As soon as she'd realized what she'd done she'd floored it and taken off in the opposite direction. Yuugi could still remember that night with vivid clarity. His mother had been invited out to have dinner with a few of her old friends, a group that she used to run with in high school that hadn't been the best influence at the time. He knew that because Sugoroku hadn't been sure that she should go, but she'd insisted, and they'd had an awful fight about it that ended with her shouting that just because she was a mother didn't mean that her life was over and flouncing out the door.

Sugoroku had never quite gotten over it. He'd been very angry at the selfish actions of his daughter-in-law, especially after business at the shop had suffered in the days following the accident when it had been all over the news. He'd even gone so far as to get legal custody of Yuugi, and now it was as if she was the one who had died because they _never_ talked about her. Yuugi knew that he would never see his mother again. Wherever she was now, she was living a new life. He wondered, sometimes, if she even knew that the woman in the other car had died, or if she'd fled Japan that night and now spent her days in ignorant bliss.

He didn't look up at Yami. "I don't think she'll ever come back. My grandfather doesn't even like talking about it. After a while people lost interest and no one brought it up for a long time. Not until I went to Duelist Kingdom." He licked his lips. His throat felt painfully dry. "The shop was having a hard time making ends meet and Jou needed the money for the surgery. We agreed that if either of us won we'd split the money. Jou could take whatever he needed for Shizuka and we'd use the rest to supplement the game shop. Jou's good at the game but he's not as good as I am. We both made it to the final round but he was knocked out."

Yuugi took a deep breath. "Pegasus is… well, he's hard to describe. I don't know if you've ever met him before but he was determined to come out on top. The whole point of the tournament was for him to prove that he was still the best at Duel Monsters. When I won the duel that meant I would face him he approached me with a deal. He said that if I didn't agree to lose the match he would bring my mother back."

Yami made a soft sound. "You mean he knew where she was?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Pegasus had dirt on all of the players, not just me. Like I said he was willing to do anything to make sure that the creator of the game went undefeated. He pointed out that if she was charged with murder and fleeing the scene of an accident it would turn into a media sensation. Jii-chan is… I'm not sure he would be able to handle that. I wasn't sure what I was going to do whether I should forfeit or lose or what." A small smile crept across his face. "Malik and Ryou weren't part of the tournament but they had snuck along to be with Jou and me. When I told them what Pegasus was doing, Malik insisted that we take a little look around the castle. We found evidence about stuff that Pegasus was… well, let's just say he didn't want it broadcast. He agreed that we could have a fair duel and I won."

As nervous as Yuugi had been about telling Yami the truth, he realized that it felt good to get the weight of it off of his chest. He didn't like telling people about his mother. It was easy to say that people shouldn't judge but the truth was they did. There had been an awful lot of neighbors, teachers, classmates, customers, even random strangers who had looked at Yuugi like _he_ was the one who'd been at the wheel of the car, not his mother. Even some people he'd told after the fact had reacted badly. He believed that Yami wouldn't be one of them but that didn't mean the anxiety was going to disappear that easily. He squeezed his hands into nervous fists, still staring at the floor of the car as they came to a stop.

"Yuugi…" Yami said quietly, and then a strong hand was tipping his chin up and Yami had leaned over and was kissing him. Startled, Yuugi brought his hands up and clutched at Yami's shirt. By the time he was ready to kiss back Yami had already pulled away. He was smiling. "Thank you for telling me the truth. I think that what your mother did was awful but I would never look badly on you for her actions. There are things that my father has done which I would not want to be blamed for."

"Like what?" Yuugi asked, unable to stop the question from slipping out. Now that he had shared something so personal he wanted Yami to do the same even more.

Yami looked at him for a long time before he sighed. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face him, taking Yuugi's hand. "Little one, after what you just told me I can hardly remain silent. But keep in mind that what I'm about to tell you is going to be pretty surprising. I didn't want to keep this a secret and I hope that you'll understand why I haven't told you before and why I'm so reluctant to tell you now. It tends to change people's perceptions of me and I really wanted you to be able to get to know _me_, not the person I have to be in public. You might not like him very much."

"Just tell me," Yuugi said, laughing. There wasn't much that would make him dislike Yami at this point and it would be a relief to have it all out in the open. He looked at Yami intently.

"Yuugi, I - "

There was a knock on the window, a sharp rap that caused the words to die in Yami's throat, and then the door was yanked open. Mai was standing there, hands on her hips. "Do you two mind?" she snapped. "Your class starts in less than twenty minutes and you're supposed to be taking a tour of the school first."

"You…" Yuugi was actually speechless with frustration and anger. It was official: Mai had the worst timing of anyone he had ever met, even if she wasn't trying to do it on purpose, a fact of which he had some doubt. He considered asking her if the two of them could have another couple of minutes, but judging from the look on Yami's face the time for confessions had passed. He sighed and unbuckled his seatbelt, climbing out of the car and automatically straightening the hem of his shirt. They'd been so close he could practically taste it, and never in his life had cooking seemed more unappealing.

"We're going to have to cut the tour short," Mai said, looking annoyed. "Or else you'll be late for your class."

"Are we taking a class or private lessons?" Yuugi asked. He was hoping for the latter because he thought Yami would feel more comfortable if he didn't have to worry about cooking in front of a lot of people.

"A class," Mai replied, dashing his hopes. "We thought it would be good if you were seen interacting with other people. Don't worry, the show had everyone who is participating sign a waiver stating that they agreed to be on television."

"Yeah cause that's what I was worried about," he muttered, sliding his hand into Yami's and lightly tugging him towards the school. It was a fairly non-descript building but as soon as he was a handful of feet away he was assaulted with a bunch of delicious smells that made his stomach growl impatiently. Yuugi closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, realizing that if he could get Yami to relax a little the night might not be so bad after all. He turned around and looked at Yami. "Do you smell that?"

"What?" Yami glanced at him in surprise and Yuugi sighed.

"Look, I'm disappointed that we were interrupted, but we'll be able to talk later," he said quietly, rubbing his thumb over Yami's hand. "I guess the car probably wasn't the best place for that, anyway. We'll meet in your room after the date, okay? Around nine."

Yami nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll hold you to it," he said, and then he lifted his nose and sniffed. His eyes popped open in surprise. "That smells… really good."

"Just think, after tonight you'll know how to create that," Yuugi teased, leading him inside. They followed Mai's directions to the first-floor classroom, which was about half-filled with people. Some of them were openly staring and the rest were being blatantly obvious about not staring. He wasn't sure which was worse. Yami caught his eye and made a face and Yuugi had to swallow a laugh as they walked over to their cooking station, which was - of course - at the front of the room.

"Good evening, class. I'm Nosaka Miho and I'll be your instructor for this evening." The girl at the front of the room was wearing a white uniform with a white chef's hat perched atop her lavender hair. She didn't look old enough to be taking the class, much less teaching it, and Yuugi eyed her skeptically. "Today we're going to learn how to make a simple bruschetta and a pasta and dessert will be a surprise." She winked at them. "I'd like to start by having everyone wash their hands, and those of you who don't have an apron, please put one on."

The menu didn't sound that difficult. As he and Yami joined the line at the sink, Yuugi thought that maybe even the class might be fun.

Famous last words.

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Please review!


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** I wasn't expecting this chapter to turn out the way it did but I really like it. It gives some insight into Bakura's background which I tried to make as canon as possible. And err... the end is a little steamy. Enjoy!

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Bakura hung back and sulked as Ryou walked towards the school where the cooking lessons were going to be held. When he realized that Bakura wasn't following him, Ryou tried not to sigh too obviously as he stopped and turned around. Though the plan was supposed to be easy to follow through on - they might even get a decent meal out of it if they followed the instructions close enough - Bakura had been making the night a miserable one from the moment they left the hotel. He seemed to be determined to make sure that everyone knew how much he was dreading doing anything that was even a little domesticated and Ryou was already tired of it.

"Alright, come here," he said crisply, grabbing Bakura's shoulder and pulling him into the nearest alley. Out of sight of all the people passing by, he put his hands on his hips and glared at Bakura, who just stared back at him silently. "Look, I know you don't want to be here. You've made that perfectly clear. And I'm sorry that you think this is pointless, but part of the reason we're here is to keep that woman away from... from your prince." It still felt weird to refer to Yami that way but he was hoping that it might get through Bakura's thick head.

"There are other ways to deal with her," Bakura said and if Ryou hadn't known better he would have sworn that Bakura was actually pouting. He shook his head in disbelief.

"I told you, you're not allowed to kill her!" he snapped, perhaps more aggressively than he'd intended because one of Bakura's eyebrows shot up. Ryou reined it in and took a deep breath, closing his eyes in a bid for patience. This whole secret thing was getting on his last nerve. "Bakura, I'm not sure how you guys handle things in Egypt, but around here that's murder, regardless of why you're doing it. You might have some special status afforded to you as Yami's – Atemu's – bodyguard but I can tell you right now they won't extend _that _far. So by all means go ahead and kill her, but you'll find yourself sitting in a lovely prison cell when you get caught."

A flicker of amusement passed over Bakura's face. "What makes you think we'd get caught?" he asked.

"I think someone would notice," Ryou said.

"Yes, of course they would, but whether or not they'd notice the _important_ things that would get us caught remains to be seen," Bakura murmured, dropping his voice low and leaning in towards Ryou. It felt like an intimate gesture and Ryou shivered. Bakura smirked and added, "If the two of us went after Vivian, believe me when I say that they would never find her body and thus, would never know who did it." He pushed off of the wall, skillfully stepping around Ryou.

"But what would Atemu think?" Ryou asked the wall, not bothering to turn around. He felt very tired suddenly. It had seemed like a joke when Bakura first suggested it but now he was starting to realize that Bakura was actually very serious and he wasn't sure why that didn't alarm him more. "From what I know of him he's not the kind of person who would approve of you doing that, is he?"

"He was always too straight laced for his own good," said Bakura after a moment's pause.

In spite of himself, Ryou smiled. This shouldn't have been okay with him, he realized. He should have been calling the police, or at least Seto and Atemu, and telling them that Bakura and Mariku were seriously thinking about killing this woman. So why wasn't he? He turned around and looked up at Bakura, who was lingering in the entrance of the alley, hands shoved deep into his pockets. Ryou said softly, "I think there's a better way to deal with her so that you wouldn't have to do that. Maybe..." he hesitated slightly. "You could keep that as a back-up. Besides, do you really distrust Atemu that much? You said she broke his heart. He doesn't seem like the kind of person to accept someone like that back into his life."

Bakura looked at him for a long moment and then lifted one shoulder into a shrug. "People can be stupid about love," he said and there was a curious inflection in his voice, like maybe that comment wasn't necessarily completely directed at Atemu.

"Yeah we can be," Ryou agreed without missing a beat, running a hand through his hair. God help him but he just wanted to shove Bakura against the wall and kiss the man senseless and he didn't understand why. What was it about Bakura that made him feel this way? He'd always considered himself to be a fairly sensible person but Bakura was sending him into a tailspin and he loved it. "Bakura, what did you and Mariku do before you became bodyguards? How did you meet Atemu?"

"You sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

"I was the Thief King and Mariku was an assassin," Bakura said simply. When Ryou just stared at him he smirked but there was an angry glitter in his eyes. "Atemu's father is an asshole. He's not the best pharaoh that Egypt has ever had, trust me. My village was known as one of the slums. Drugs, thieves, you name it and we were blamed for it. We were a blight on the good name of Egypt and someone decided to do something about it. When I was just a kid a mysterious fire broke out one night." His voice had gone curiously flat. "No one survived except for me."

Ryou's mouth dropped open. "That - "

"It was discovered after the fact that the food had been drugged," he went on, ignoring whatever Ryou had been about to say. "They all just slept through it. The only reason I didn't was because my mother had sent me to bed without dinner that night. She was angry and wanted to punish me. Instead she ended up saving my life. I only woke up because of the smoke. I tried to wake my family up but I couldn't. Eventually I had no choice but to leave them behind."

There was a lump in Ryou's throat that was preventing him from speaking, but it didn't really matter because for the life of him he wouldn't have been able to think of anything to say. He could imagine, painfully clearly, the fear and desperation of a child who had been caught in that sort of circumstance and the way that Bakura's face was blank - too blank - told him that Bakura was still a lot more affected by it than he probably wanted to be. Finally, he took a step closer, sliding his hands around Bakura's upper arms, half-expecting to be pushed away. When he wasn't, he dared to rest his forehead against Bakura's chest.

"I know what you're thinking," he added. "You're wondering why I would blame the pharaoh. Well, on my way out of town I came across some soldiers from the palace. All of them were just standing there watching the fire burn. Even if they weren't responsible for what happened they certainly weren't doing anything to stop it. And as far as I'm concerned…" He trailed off.

"You're wrong," Ryou said quietly after a couple of minutes had passed.

Bakura tensed slightly. "What?"

"I said you're wrong. You said you knew what I was thinking but you were wrong." He lifted his head. "I was thinking that it's horrible for any child to have to go through something like that and that I can't even begin to understand how horrifying it must have been. I was thinking about how sorry I was that _you_ had to go through that and how amazing you are that you're still here." He smiled, enjoying the look of shock. "And I was wondering how you came to be at the palace, the bodyguard to the prince no less, after all that."

Huffing out a laugh, Bakura rested a hand on the small of Ryou's back, closing the distance between them. "Atemu is nothing like his father," he said. "It took me a long time to be able to see that and longer still to acknowledge it. I first met him when we were both young. I'd gotten caught and was thrown in the cells for the night. Atemu was lonely and curious, wandering around without his guards, and there was nothing to stop him from coming in to see me. I didn't know who he was at first but he kept visiting me."

"You were thrown in more than once?" Ryou wasn't sure why that amused him.

"I wasn't always the King," Bakura replied. They were so close that their foreheads brushed together. "I might have grown up in a family of thieves but I still had a lot to learn. Besides, sometimes it was easier to spend a night in the cells and have food and water and shelter at hand, especially if I'd have a poor day of it. There wasn't a whole lot that they could do to a child. As I got older I got caught less and less, but Atemu never stopped visiting me, not even after I became the Thief King and found out who he was." Almost idly, his fingers played with Ryou's hair. His voice lowered to a murmur. "Eventually I met Mariku and one night we got thrown in together. We were both old enough that the argument could be made that we were adults. My records had been destroyed and god knows where Mariku comes from; no one would have fought it. He offered us a deal."

"Can't sentence the prince's bodyguards?" Ryou guessed, mouth twitching. He could see, easily, how Bakura and Atemu could have become enemies. Amazing that all it took to save them from that path was a child's natural curiosity. "I bet his father was furious."

Bakura smirked but instead of responding he tilted Ryou's face up and kissed him. It was a very light kiss but Ryou still felt dizzy by the time that they separated. Bakura said, "Yes, he was, but Atemu and Seth argued our case and eventually wore him down. He saw it an opportunity to get rid of two people that were threatening his country. I suppose he probably believes we're loyal to him now." There was something about his smile that was distinctly unpleasant and Ryou had the feeling that Bakura would just as soon knife the pharaoh in the back as he would anything else.

This was all making a dangerous amount of sense. No wonder Bakura wouldn't have minded killing Vivian: there was blood on his hands already, both from being a thief and from being Atemu's bodyguard. It should have bothered Ryou but it didn't. He felt deeply sorry for that poor little child who had lost everything and been left to make his own way in the world; the Egyptian system had failed Bakura and though they didn't deserve what he'd done, it was nevertheless hard to judge. He pulled back slightly and leaned up, brushing his lips over Bakura's. He could feel Bakura's surprise in the move and it made him smile.

"I still wish you wouldn't kill her," he said quietly. "But I understand your desire to keep Atemu safe." And he thought he did. From the sound of it Atemu had been the one constant in Bakura's life that hadn't changed over the years. He'd probably saved it many times, even. "I still think that there might be a better way, though. If Atemu and Yuugi fall in love with each other then there's no room for Vivian and she's no longer a threat. Let's just work on keeping her away from Yuugi, okay?"

Bakura wore an odd expression. "You said you were angry with me, before. But you're not now."

"Oh no," Ryou said, "I'm still angry that you kept this all a secret. I just understand why you did. As it is, that's a lot of background to throw at a man you've only known for a few weeks. I'm not most people, Bakura. I've had a taste of what people can do." He thought about Duelist Kingdom, about his father, and sighed. "If you think I'm going to reject you just because your background isn't as happy as I would have hoped for you, you're dead wrong. I still love you."

The words came out before he could stop them and Ryou's eyes widened, one hand leaving Bakura's arm to clap itself over his mouth. He hadn't meant for _that_ to come out. Bakura looked startled, and when Ryou tried to take a step backwards he reacted, grabbing Ryou's upper arms to keep him in place. Their faces were very close together and then Bakura just stared at him for a long time, eyes searching Ryou intently while Ryou tried and failed to think of some way to make up for what he'd just blurted out.

"I," he started and then stopped. Weakly, he swallowed. "I didn't mean to say that."

"But you meant it?" Bakura asked.

"I… god help me, yes, I did." There was no sense in lying, was there? Not when it really was true. Granted, he hadn't even admitted it to himself yet, but there it was. He lowered his head and took a deep breath. He wasn't ready to deal with it yet; it was too much too soon. Ignoring it wouldn't change the strength of his feelings but at least it would give him time to accept them and figure out what he wanted to do about it. "Can you forget that I said that?"

"No," Bakura said. "But if you don't want to talk about it that's fine." He sounded a little uncertain and Ryou glanced up at him. He wondered how long it had been since Bakura had heard that.

"Just so you know, I do. I meant it." This time when he tried to take a step back Bakura's hands dropped, letting him. Ryou reached instinctively for his hand and took it, letting their fingers slide together. It was amazing how well the two of them fit together. He tried for a shaky smile and found that it was easier than he'd been expecting. "Come on. We're going to be late for our class."

**YY**

Malik was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling when the door opened. He was almost expecting it and so he wasn't too surprised when a light weight joined him on the bed. Their plans to go for lunch and then a movie had been derailed when Mariku found out that the only things playing at the theatre were a sappy romantic comedy and a children's movie. Instead, after lunch they had decided to come back to the hotel. He'd been contemplating taking a late afternoon nap but it seemed that Mariku had other plans, as evident from the fingers slowly pulling his tank top up, revealing his tummy to the chilled air.

"Do you mind?" he said without opening his eyes. "That's cold."

"Let me warm you up, then." Mariku leaned down and licked a long stripe up Malik's belly from where his trousers began all the way up to his nipples. His tongue was warm and wet and Malik shivered. It felt like his skin had become extra sensitized by the move, especially when Mariku pulled back and the wet spot was left tingling from the renewed blast of cold air. "Better?"

"No, I'm still cold," Malik replied. They hadn't really done anything beyond a bit of groping above their clothing, but he was beginning to realize that he wanted more. A lot more. And he wanted Mariku to be the one who did it. He opened his eyes and looked up at Mariku, who was leaning over him, propped up on one hand. It was hard to tell what was going on behind those dark purple eyes but Malik decided to take a chance. "You could keep going. If you want."

Mariku raised an eyebrow. "What brought that on?" he asked, placing the palm of his hand where his tongue had just been. It felt like a brand, the heat searing into Malik's skin.

"I've never - you know - with anyone," he admitted somewhat shyly, placing his own hand over Mariku's.

"And you want me to be your first?" There was a small smile playing around Mariku's lips and Malik rolled his eyes, flushing, embarrassed. He reached out and lightly shoved Mariku in retaliation. He wasn't expecting for Mariku to roll over backwards and yank Malik along so that Malik ended up half-sprawled over top of him, their faces mere inches apart. Suddenly Malik's heart was pounding, especially when Mariku brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes and murmured, "Wasn't there ever anyone else?"

"Ah, w-well, I told you that my sister and I grew up beneath Egypt. There weren't a whole lot of people my age." His eyes fluttered shut when Mariku moved a thigh between his legs, perfectly positioned to press _just right_ against his half-hard erection. "Um… there was this guy, Rishid. I had a bit of a crush on him but he had a thing for my sister and he thought of me as his little brother so it never went anywhere. And after we came to Japan these was just never anyone I was interested in. I was still pretty hung up on Rishid for a while." He squirmed a little, feeling like all of the blood in his body was rushing south, and canted his hips up. A soft gasp escaped him and he did it again, enjoying the little flutter of pleasure from the pressure.

"You aren't anymore?" Mariku's breath ghosted over his ear just before his earlobe was sucked into a warm, wet mouth. Malik groaned and pressed harder, grinding himself against Mariku's thigh. Even that felt so good he was dizzy.

"N-no, I, ah, I haven't seen him for years and my sister was - oh god." His voice ran up the scale into a dangerous squeak when he felt a hand sliding between them, playing with the button on his jeans. Slowly Mariku began to unfasten them and Malik exhaled shakily, realizing that this was really happening and that he didn't want it to stop.

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Please review!


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** I almost feel bad about this chapter. Almost. Enjoy!

**Note:** It's November and y'all know what that means. NaNo is on. I'm going to try to be faithful with updates but if I can't, you've got fair warning.

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"Keep talking," Mariku ordered, voice low in spite of the command.

The touch of bare fingers against his skin was intoxicating. Malik swallowed hard and fought to keep speaking. "Nee-san was really upset when we left and I know that if we ever saw Rishid again things would heat up between them right away. And besides, I met you." He dug his fingers into Mariku's arm and shivered again when Mariku's fingers finally slipped inside of his underwear, curling around his shaft. "_Mariku_!"

There was a soft chuckle in his ear as Mariku's hand began to move, stroking up and down. His other arm curved around Malik's back, palming his ass. "You're so cute when you squirm," he observed. "I'm glad that no one else has touched you until now. It makes it that much more delicious."

"Pervert," Malik muttered, though there was no denying the edge of fondness in the word. He pressed his face into Mariku's shoulder. The pace was agonizingly slow, allowing Mariku to explore at his leisure, but he couldn't deny that it felt deliciously good. It was completely different from doing it himself. He couldn't anticipate what Mariku was going to do. Every move was a fresh shock and he wanted more. With a moan he pushed closer, his hips unconsciously thrusting. "Please," he said in a broken voice, biting his lip to hold back any more sounds. "Please, Mariku."

Mariku made a low sound in the back of his throat and leaned down until he could draw Malik into a heated kiss, pressing his mouth open and roughly plunging his tongue inside. Malik did his best to keep up, torn between what he should be focusing on. It was overwhelming. He broke the kiss and gasped as Mariku's thumb slid over the head and rubbed firmly, just an edge short of blurring the line into pain. Every twist of his hand only made it that much more potent and he could feel it building, starting in his belly and making his toes curl, but he didn't want it to be over just yet.

"You…" he panted, "you've done this before."

"A few times." Mariku nuzzled at his neck and then bit gently, his teeth sinking into the curve of Malik's throat. He licked at the small wound, soothing the sting, and added, "Whenever Bakura and me used to get bored it was a nice way to pass the time."

Maybe it should've disturbed him, the thought of Bakura and Mariku in bed together, but it actually served to be the complete opposite. He had a brief moment to envision the two of them before Mariku's hand tightened and twisted and he bit harder, causing a sharp jolt of pain to sear across the pleasure, and Malik's head fell back and he groaned as he spilled into his boxers. It seemed to go on forever as Mariku calmly stroked him through it, making a loose ring with his fingers to keep things from becoming too sensitive. Malik felt completely boneless by the time the aftershocks began to fade.

"What..." he managed to get out after a couple of aborted tries. "You... and Bakura?"

Surprisingly, Mariku laughed, pulling his hand free. He brought it up to his mouth and began cleaning it with his tongue, apparently heedless to Malik's wide eyes. "Yes, on occasion when we were really bored. It never went anywhere. Bakura and I get along but only to a point. He says I'm too much of an idiot for him to tolerate being around all the time and that working together is more than enough. And after we became bodyguards to Atemu we didn't really do it anymore. Though we did indulge in a couple of rounds some visiting tourists."

"My god," Malik muttered into his hands, shaking his head ruefully. He was beginning to wonder if Mariku was going to be too much for him to handle. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, twisting to look at Mariku and the very obvious way that his pants were tented. "Do you want some help with that?"

"Yes," Mariku said, not hesitating in the slightest to accept the offer.

He'd never touched another guy before, but Malik reached out with the thought in mind that it couldn't be all that different from touching himself. "Tell me more," he said softly, unzipping the jeans and pulling Mariku's boxers aside. His mouth was very dry.

"Mmm, oh yeah, that's good," Mariku rumbled. "Like I said, sometimes we went on the pull together. It was easier that way and you wouldn't _believe_ some of the girls that came through Egypt. Kinky doesn't even begin to describe them. Between Bakura and me we usually had no problem finding a couple who wanted to join us." He smirked. "I always thought we were doing our part to make Egypt a more hospitable place."

"Yeah, I'm sure you were," Malik said, amused in spite of himself. His boxers felt sticky and unpleasantly clammy, he had his hand wrapped around the erection of a man he'd only meant about a month ago, and he was still more aroused than he'd been... well, ever even though he'd just come. Experimentally he leaned down and licked at the tip, tasting the salty, slightly bitter liquid. Mariku jolted like he'd been touched with a brand and groaned so loudly that Malik was pretty sure their neighbors heard. He flushed with an odd mix of arousal and pride and did it again.

"Fucking hell," he gasped, tangling his hand in Malik's hair. "Malik you're a sinful little bitch, I swear. I knew as soon as I saw you that you were made for this sort of thing. When we were at that table and you were taking your time eating your pudding... shit. It was like torture watching that gorgeous pink tongue of yours licking at that spoon. I've wanted to bend you over the bed and fuck you for ages."

Malik's eyes fluttered shut and he moaned softly. He wanted to tell Mariku to keep talking this time but his mouth was occupied at the moment and the grip that Mariku had on his hair warned him against pulling away, not unless he wanted to be missing a handful of hair. He lifted the hand that wasn't being used to brace himself against the bed and gripped the base, hoping to keep Mariku from shifting upwards before he was ready. Only then did he seal his lips around as much as he could take, delighting in the way that Mariku threw his head back with an even louder groan, his whole body shaking with the effort it took to keep from losing control and taking over.

"You," Mariku rasped, "you're so pretty. You were _made _for this. Go on, take me deeper - oh fuck yeah, like that. So good, Malik. I want to keep you here like this all night. And come morning I want to fuck you so slowly that you'll be_ begging_ me to let you come."

Oh god, Malik couldn't put into words how much he wanted that. A whimper caught in his throat and Mariku moaned at the feeling of the vibration. He was panting like he couldn't get enough air into his lungs. Malik knew the feeling; he pulled back just enough to breathe and relished the unintelligible protest he heard coming from above. It seemed that Mariku could be shook after all, that the crazy man was actually just as human as the rest of them, and he liked knowing that he was the one who was causing it. He breathed out wetly and began to stroke, remembering how Mariku had touched him with that careful blend of pain that bordered so carefully on pleasure. So he made his pulls a little rough, not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough that they would be felt, exploring every bump and ridge, and felt hazy with the sound of Mariku's cries ringing in his ears.

The warmth spilling over his hand wasn't necessarily unexpected but Malik still felt surprised when he felt it. Some of it even landed on his face and shoulders because he was so close. He got up on his knees, examining his hand. Mariku had tasted his, so... he stuck his tongue out and licked curiously. The taste wasn't overly bad but it wasn't something he would go out of his way for. He heard Mariku moan his name and looked up, startled. Mariku was staring at him and breathing heavily, looking as wrecked as Malik felt. Malik smiled and crawled up to join him, gladly allowing Mariku to yank him down into a possessive kiss that tasted of their mixed essences.

"You taste good," he said when they parted, deciding that a little white lie didn't hurt.

"Fuck," Mariku said, rubbing his thumb over one of the patches on Malik's cheek. His eyes had grown dark and predatory. "You better go wash up unless you want round two."

Malik considered that. Deliberately he licked his lips and discovered that if he stretched his tongue far enough he could reach one of the patches that had splashed onto his face. "I wouldn't mind. I think we're both in need of a shower." He rolled off of the bed and shamelessly stripped off his shirt, tossing it over his shoulder. His smile this time was entirely sweet with just an edge of intent. "You could join me, if you wanted." He took one step backwards and then turned and fled, chased into the bathroom by his more than eager lover.

**YY**

The class started off pleasantly enough. Once everyone had washed their hands and put on aprons, Miho handed out a set of written directions. All of the ingredients had been provided to them and the first step was chopping their ingredients for the bruschetta. After Yami had fetched their basket, Yuugi picked up one of the tomatoes and squeezed it curiously. The round fruit felt plump and ripe under his hand. He set it down on the cutting surface and lightly pressed the blade of his knife against the skin until it sank cleanly through. Juice spurted out over his fingers and he grinned, sliding it free.

"See? It's not hard," he said, turning the tomato halves and cutting them into quarters. The seeds and juice formed a small but messy puddle on the counter and he glanced up just in time to see Yami watching with a somewhat disgusted expression. Yuugi laughed. "It's not that bad."

Yami muttered something unintelligible under his breath and folded his arms. "I'll just watch you."

"You're here to learn how to cook, not to be a spectator," Yuugi scolded, skillfully dicing the tomato quarters up. There was something very soothing about having a set of specific set of directions to follow that ended up in something that was (hopefully) delicious. Once the tomato was done he moved on to the basil and garlic. The next step after that was slicing the bread up and he was determined that Yami was going to do something other than watch, so he held the knife out.

Reluctantly Yami took it and began sawing awkwardly at the bread. Concealing a smile, Yuugi took his hand and gentled the motion, turning it into a rhythmic slide that ended in somewhat coarsely cut slices of bread, not a massacre. By the time that the bread was done, Yami had gotten the hang of it, and he accepted the peppers they were going to chop up for the pasta without too much of a fight. Yuugi watched him work for a minute before he started slicing up mushrooms. It was peaceful working together; they didn't get in each other way but he remained very conscious of the fact that Yami was there. It was nice.

"For those of you who have moved on to your pasta, please make sure that you grease your pan with a little oil," Miho called out. Yuugi jumped at the sound of her voice and then winced, sucking in a sharp breath. He regarded the small chunk he'd taken out of his index finger in dismay. Blood was already welling up and he grabbed a cloth, wrapping it quickly to avoid contaminating their food. He took a step back and Yami turned to look at him, eyebrow raised in surprise. When he saw Yuugi's hand he set his knife down.

"You hurt yourself," he said, taking hold of Yuugi's wrist. He gently unwrapped the cloth and examined the little wound.

"Yeah, it happens," Yuugi said, wincing a little when he tried to straighten his finger. It was amazing how painful something so small could be. "I got so caught up in working that Nosaka-sensei startled me. I'll go ask her if she has a band-aid. You keep working, Yami. I don't want us to fall behind."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I'm okay." He flushed when he realized that the cameras were catching every word, including Yami's sweet but misplaced concern. The last thing he wanted was for people to see him being even more klutzy. He tucked the cloth back into place and backed away from the workstation, intending to walk towards the front of the class. But as he turned around, someone stepped into his path and they collided. He yelped in pain as a heavy pot of water struck his right shoulder and then tilted, spilling hot water just shy of boiling all down the front of his chest.

"Oh, dear me!" a familiar voice exclaimed loudly. "I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't hurt you."

Yuugi's stomach turned over. He looked up slowly to see that Vivian Wong was standing right in front of him, a smirk on her face. "Hello Vivian," he said quietly, straightening up. He didn't let on to the fact that she_ had_ hurt him. His shoulder was throbbing in ugly sharp waves of pain and he was pretty sure the water had been hot enough to burn the tender skin on his chest and belly. Gingerly, he grabbed the front of shirt and eased it away from his flesh, even though it was really too late to do any good.

"Imagine meeting you here," she said in a voice that was just to this side of being too sweet.

"Yes, imagine that," he muttered and tried to step around her, hoping to escape the inevitable. Not for the first time he wished he was taller if only so that he could have blocked her view of Yami, who was pressed against the counter wearing an expression of sheer horror mingled with a healthy dose of annoyance. And also holding a knife, mustn't forget that, Yuugi had to wonder if Vivian was about to be murdered on what would be national television.

"What are you doing here?" Yami asked, clearly making an (unsuccessful) effort to sound polite.

"I'm taking a cooking class," Vivian replied, sweeping her arms out around her. She very nearly smacked Yuugi in the nose. He staggered backwards a step just in time. "I think it's so important for someone to be well-rounded and cultured, don't you? Especially when they're in a position of leadership over other people, don't you, Yami?" Her smile was malicious. "Or perhaps you would prefer if I called you by your real name? It seems only fair that the man you're dating should know the truth about you."

"Vivian, _enough_," Yami ordered. Thankfully, he set the knife down. "I don't know what you're trying to play at, but I've had it up to here with you. I am never getting back together with you no matter what you try to pull. So just stop it, okay? Just stop!"

"Oh but we're not in Egypt anymore. You can't order me around, your highness." Vivian crossed her arms and looked at Yuugi. "Has he told you who he is or why he really wanted to come on this show? He's not Yami. That man never even existed. This" she pointed to Yami "is actually Prince Atemu of Egypt. See? I've brought proof." She grabbed her phone and opened it, showing Yuugi was on the screen. She even handed it to him so that he could get a good long look.

The picture was of Yami, that much was evident at first glance. Otherwise he had an identical twin, but Yuugi didn't think anyone else in the world could copy that cocky smirk and confident tilt of the hips. But it still wasn't the Yami that Yuugi had come to know. This version was dressed in soft, expensive-looking white fabric that was draped artfully around his body and held in place with gold jewelry. He had a dark crimson cape pinned across his shoulders and a gold crown on his forehead. The article below, for it was a picture from an online newspaper, was discussing the break-up between Prince Atemu and Lady Vivian Wong.

Yuugi didn't look up for several seconds, but his hands tightened on the phone. His heart was pounding and he was suddenly, irrationally relieved for the gold bangs that fallen across his face, if only to have a few seconds to think before he had to respond. He knew that Vivian was hoping he would make a big deal out it, maybe even throw some things before storming out, and the last thing he wanted to do was give her what she wanted. She'd been angling for this from the very beginning and he wasn't about to fall for it. With that in mind, he composed his face, hoping that he wouldn't give himself away, and looked up.

"This is a good picture but I'm not sure what it's supposed to do," he said as calmly as possible. "Yami already told me the truth, though admittedly I hadn't seen how attractive he looks in his outfit. And if you don't mind it would be nice if you kept calling him Yami while he's out in public. Not everyone is as desperate for attention as you are, Vivian."

Vivian actually looked surprised by that. She stared at him for a couple of seconds and then her eyes narrowed, and Yuugi knew he hadn't fooled her at all. The problem was that she couldn't prove it. She snatched the phone away and shoved it into her pocket, then leaned in close. "I know you're lying," she hissed at him. "One of these days Atemu is going to see you for what you really are: completely average and thus utterly worthless to him. He'll come back to me and you'll be left with your foolish little dreams."

"Fine," Yuugi said, meeting her eyes squarely. "I have no problem with that. If he wants to make that decision it's his choice, but I bet I'll have the grace to accept it rather than running around like an idiot and trying to change it."

She ground her teeth together and made to step backwards. Yuugi hadn't noticed before but their confrontation had garnered some interest and there was a crowd gathered in the door avidly watching. Ryou and Bakura were included, he noticed. Bakura was visibly furious, his hands clenched into fists, and Ryou had placed a calming hand on his chest, though he looked equally unimpressed. Vivian glared at the both of them as she stormed out, shoving her way through the crowd in order to reach the hallway. As the sound of her voice faded, Yuugi looked down at the ground.

"Yuugi…" Yami - no, Atemu's voice was hesitant.

"Don't," Yuugi said, freezing Atemu in place. He didn't know what to think but he knew he needed some time alone, without Atemu around. Everything he'd known about Yami was a lie and this man standing in front of him was a complete stranger. "I need to… I just…" Lamely he shook his head, unable to put what he was feeling into words. It hurt too much. Silently he turned and made his way out the door.

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Please review!


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** So… I'm excited about this chapter and the one after it. This story is going in a totally unexpected direction and it's fantastic. Enjoy!

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After leaving Shizuka's house, Seto had suggested that they have dinner. Jou had been buzzing with the knowledge that he'd gotten the chance to spend several uninterrupted hours with his sister, to the point where he didn't even mind eating with Seto. He ordered a burger and fries from the waitress and stared contentedly out the window, wondering if he might be able to see Shizuka again before they left. One time was probably pushing things as it was but it was almost like a drug: having had a taste only made him want to spend even more time with her. She was the one person in his fucked up family that actually cared about him, after all.

He sighed and finally turned back to look at Seto. "I just wanted to say thank you," he said, feeling just the slightest bit awkward when those icy blue eyes flicked up from the cell phone to look at him. "You didn't have to do that for me and Shizuka, and I… we appreciate it."

Seto just looked at him for a long moment before inclining his head. "You're welcome."

This was awkward. Jou searched for something, anything, to say. Finally, he said, "You mentioned that you had a brother. What's he like?"

"Why?" Seto, he noticed, had gone tense at the question, finally ignoring his cell phone entirely in favor of staring so hard at Jou that it was like he was trying to read his mind through sight alone.

"What do you mean, why?" Jou laughed a little uncomfortably, unnerved by the force of that stare. "It's not like I'm trying to fish for information on the kid, Seto. I'm curious. You said that you were helping me because you had a brother and I was wondering what he was like, that's all." A mischievous smirk spread across his face. "Wondering if I should send him some kind of award for putting up with you all these years."

"He's about Shizuka's age," Seto said, rolling his eyes and relaxing a little. There was a genuine smile on his face now and his blue eyes were noticeably warmer. It was impossible to avoid noticing that Seto looked like a completely different person when he talked about his brother. He looked almost human. "He's a good kid. Serious, though. Too much. It's not surprising considering our history but I wish he had more time to go out and have fun with his friends. He's very dedicated when it comes to school and things like that. He actually started thinking about creating his own game."

"Really?" Jou couldn't help being impressed. "That's cool. Hey, maybe someday we can introduce him and Shizuka. You know, if the two of you ever ended up back here again."

"Maybe," Seto agreed slowly, looking thoughtful. He seemed to be about to say something else when his cell phone chimed with a new text. Automatically he looked down and - and then it was like his entire demeanor changed. His face became cold and his shoulders stiffened, back straightening like he was a dog that had sensed a new threat to its territory. Whatever he'd received in the text was not good news. "I have to go."

Jou blinked at him, a little startled. This was the Seto who had taunted him on their first "date", the one he'd dumped his ice cream all over. He hadn't seen this Seto in a while and he had to admit that the man hadn't been missed. "Seto?" he said hesitantly. "What's wrong?"

"I have to go," Seto repeated, already getting to his feet. He strode out of the diner, leaving Jou behind. Jou sat there for a moment in stunned silence before he leapt to his feet and chased after him.

"Hey, you can't just walk out without explaining!" he exclaimed angrily, charging over to the car. Seto refused to look at him, too preoccupied with getting his keys out of his pocket and unlocking the door. Jou slammed a hand down on the door, preventing him from opening it. "Has something happened? I want to know. Don't shut me out. I thought you wouldn't understand about Shizuka but you did. I admit that are things about you I don't know. And believe me there are things about _me_ that_ you_ don't know. I'm not letting you leave until you tell me." Because as much as he hated to admit it, he cared enough about Seto that seeing that eerie blankness on Seto's face was frightening.

"Jou," Seto started and then stopped. He looked down at the phone in his hand for a minute before shaking his head. "Alright, I suppose there's no harm in you knowing now," he said. "My name really is Kaiba Seto. I'm the CEO of Kaiba Corp." He watched the look of shock spread across Jou's face. "There's more. I'm also the personal adviser to Prince Atemu of Egypt, but you know him better as Yami."

For several seconds Jou just stood there, mouth hanging open. "What?"

"And now there's been an incident," Seto added, a peculiar mix of annoyance and rage in his voice. "One that I have to go sort out as soon as possible. So take your hand off of my door before I make you and either get in the car or get out of my way."

Jou's hand slid off of the door and he watched in disbelief as Seto threw the door open and got in. For a moment he just stood there, his mind trying to make sense out of it all. That was easier said than done when there was a huge part of the story that he knew he was missing. But he'd gotten enough to know that if Yami was involved that meant Yuugi probably was too. He hurried around to the other side of the car and got in. Seto gave him a brief, searching glance before turning the car on and speeding out of the parking lot.

**TDOL**

In the stark ringing silence after Yuugi's departure, no one said anything. The whole room looked kind of frozen, including Atemu, who was staring at the spot where Yuugi had been like he'd just seen his whole life fall apart. Bakura was the one who dared to break the silence, stepping into the room with Ryou at his side. He strode over to the camera and glared at the man who was standing behind it. "Turn it off."

"Sorry, no can do," the man said with a smirk. It was quickly wiped off his face when Bakura reached out and grabbed his collar, fingers brushing pointedly against the delicate base of his throat. He yanked the man closer and didn't say a single word, just narrowed his eyes into a glare that was promising _a lot_ of pain. The man swallowed hard, face turning ashen, and reached out a shaking hand to flip the camera off. Only once all of the lights had gone off did Bakura let go.

He turned around to see that Ryou had picked up the pot that Vivian had thrown at Yuugi and was standing beside Atemu, one hand on his arm. "Come on," Ryou was saying in a gentle voice. "You can't just stay here. Let's go back to the hotel, okay?"

Atemu nodded silently and slipped off the apron that he was still wearing, tossing it onto the stove and nearly upsetting a bowl of ingredients. He steadied it and then looked at the teacher and said, "I'm sorry - about the damages and the disruption. I'll have someone contact you to pay whatever you feel is necessary to make up for it."

"No worries," the woman said quietly. "There really wasn't that much harm done."

As Ryou led Atemu from the room, Bakura fell into place behind them, ready to snap at anyone who dared to get in their way. The crowd around the door quickly shuffled aside under the force of his deadly glare and in no time they were outside. Ryou looked around the car but of course, since the date wasn't supposed to be finished for a while yet, there was no sign of it. He finally ended up summoning a cab. The three of them piled in with Ryou in the middle and a minute later they were on their way back to the hotel. Atemu seemed to be lost in his own world, staring out the window.

Ryou shot him a worried look and glanced at Bakura. His expression practically screamed 'Talk to him!' but there was no point. That wasn't what Bakura and Atemu did; they didn't discuss feelings or anything stupid like that. None of them did. Even if Bakura had wanted to (and for the record he didn't) he wouldn't have known the first thing to say, and he couldn't imagine Atemu would be very receptive to any fumbling attempts. He stared back at Ryou silently and finally Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Atemu," he said, and when Atemu failed to respond he reached out and shook the man's arm lightly. "Atemu, what are you going to do to fix this?"

"What do you mean?" Atemu said.

"Are you kidding me?" Ryou said in disbelief. "You have to talk to Yuugi. I know that wasn't how you wanted him to know but you can talk to him and explain that - "

"Explain what? There's nothing for me to tell him, Ryou," said Atemu wearily.

"Yes there is. You can tell him why you kept it a secret. Yuugi is smart and he'll understand. Right now he needs some time alone but I know that the two of you can work this out," Ryou replied. When Atemu just shook his head, Ryou bit his lip and looked frustrated. Bakura reached out and put a hand on his arm, silencing whatever else Ryou would have said. He could tell that there wasn't much that was going to get through Atemu's notoriously thick skill at the moment. The man had been completely blindsided by Vivian and he would need a little time to assimilate the situation before he could react to it. Forcing a talk between him and Yuugi at the moment would, in the long run, only serve to make things worse.

Fortunately Ryou seemed to understand and although he pouted, he remained silent. Atemu got out of the car as soon as they pulled up to the hotel and went straight inside without speaking a word to either of them. Bakura paid the cab driver and climbed out behind Ryou. They stood on the sidewalk and Ryou wrapped his arms around his chest, shivering. As the sun had gone down it had gotten distinctly colder outside, but he didn't seem to want to go inside quite yet. After a while Bakura got tired of watching him stand there and shiver. He wrapped an arm around Ryou's shoulders and directed him across the bustling street to a little cafe which had seats that overlooked the hotel, giving them the opportunity to watch who came and went.

"Sit down," he said briskly, pushing Ryou towards one of the booths. Ryou raised an eyebrow but obeyed the command, sliding across the seat. Bakura slid in next to him and took out his phone, sending a text to both Mariku and Seto. Back when he and Mariku had first begun working with Atemu, the four of them had worked out a series of secret communication codes that they could send to each other in case of the event that something ever went wrong. The one he had just sent, along with the café's location, meant that something was very wrong. He knew it wouldn't be long before the two of them showed up, and sure enough about ten minutes later he and Ryou watched as Mariku and Malik left the hotel and hurried across the street.

"What's going on?" Mariku demanded, moving quickly over to the table. "Where's Atemu?"

"I assume he's in his room," said Bakura. He couldn't imagine that Atemu would have gone anywhere else. "We were right. Vivian showed up tonight and she told Yuugi the truth."

"Shit," Malik breathed, dropping down onto the seat across from Ryou. "I thought you guys were supposed to stop her!"

"We were _trying_," Ryou said, annoyed. "I don't know how she got into the building. By the time we realized that she was inside it was too late. She knew exactly where Yuugi and Atemu were and she was already making a scene. There was nothing that we could have done." He shook his head and sighed. "Yuugi was really upset. I didn't even try to talk to him. I don't think he would have listened."

Something about the way Ryou had said that caught Bakura's attention. He tilted his head slightly and Mariku caught the movement, looking over at him sharply. "What is it?"

"Ryou's right," Bakura said, wondering why they hadn't seen it before. "_She knew exactly where Yuugi and Atemu were_. I bet if we got the security cameras and looked at them you'd see that she didn't even need to look around the school. And she knew where to find them before, too."

"Maybe she's got someone following them," Malik suggested.

"Possible but unlikely." Mariku draped an arm across his back and drummed his fingers on the table. "She'd know better. That could get her into a lot of trouble if she was caught: maybe even enough to make sure that she'd never get the throne. Vivian wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize that now. And she's smart enough to know that there was a chance Bakura, Seto or I would have noticed someone following Atemu. No, my guess is that she's got someone on the inside, someone from the show who has been feeding her information about where the two of them were going to be at any given time."

"Not many people have access to that kind of information," Malik pointed out. "I know that the dates were planned well in advance but the show still tries to keep it contained for publicity reasons. Even though you guys were able to find out." He grinned and then sobered. "So it couldn't have been one of the interns or anyone like that."

"Which makes the list of suspects surprisingly short," Mariku murmured. He caught Bakura's eye and Bakura nodded. Vivian was a rich woman and she had no hesitation in throwing money at a problem until it went away - or in this case, until someone was willing to open up and give her the information that they needed. Still, Bakura had the instinct that the person who had sold Atemu and Yuugi out was much closer than that and he thought he knew who it might be. They would, of course, need proof, but fortunately for him and Mariku that wouldn't be hard to get.

"You two stay here," he said. "Seto will be coming around with Jou. You can tell him what happened but don't talk to anyone else about it and that includes the people from the show."

"Where are you going?" Ryou narrowed his eyes slightly and Bakura smirked.

"I'm going to put my skills to use," he replied, knowing that Ryou would know what he meant. Sure enough Ryou rolled his eyes and shook his head, but there was a fond, if somewhat exasperated, smile hidden in the curve of his lips. Impulsively Bakura leaned down and kissed him, keeping it chaste in light of their observers and the fact that Mariku would be teasing him mercilessly for the action as it was. He pulled away and grabbed Mariku by the back of his shirt, yanking him off of Malik, who had been pinned to the booth's seat under the force of Mariku's rather more passionate kiss.

Mariku huffed and muttered something under his breath but he obligingly fell into step beside Bakura. The two of them made their way out of the café and across the street into the hotel. Night had truly fallen now and along with the lowering temperature and setting sun had come rain, a fine drizzle that seeped slowly underneath collars and hoods. The lobby was bustling with guests trying to get in from the cold and no one looked at them twice. Bakura led the way to the elevator and when they were inside he pushed the button for their floor.

"So it seems like you and Ryou are getting along well," Mariku said. He made no effort to keep his voice down and Bakura shot him a glare, well aware that the other half a dozen passengers were in an excellent position to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"That is none of your business," Bakura hissed. Unfortunately, while the force of his growing ire might have thrown off some people Mariku only seemed to relish it. His mischievous grin grew wider.

"Come on, Bakura. Don't tell me you hate the fact that you've finally been whipped," he said in mock concern. Bakura glowered at him, wishing that he could show Mariku exactly how little he had been 'whipped'. The only thing that kept his temper in check was the knowledge that the last thing Atemu needed was to have his bodyguards be arrested for causing a scene in public. He settled for a vicious pinch to Mariku's thigh, relishing the yelp and jump that resulted.

"Let's go," he said tightly as the doors opened, stalking down the hall. No one else got off with them, which left them alone on the floor. Bakura turned left and started walking. Although they hadn't been issued a floor plan that indicated where all of the crew would be sleeping, he and Mariku had done their own investigation with Seto's blessing, making a cursory search of the floor until they knew where everyone would be. It never hurt to be too prepared when it came to the protection of a prince. For that reason, he already knew where he was going, and he stopped outside of room 1460, the room belonging to Mai Valentine.

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Please review!


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Ok all I can say is that I'm really excited for this chapter because I think it will shock a lot of people. Enjoy!

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To say that Atemu was both depressed and enraged about what had happened at the cooking school was an understatement. The last thing he wanted to do was be around anyone else, so he was relieved when Bakura and Ryou didn't try to push the issue and follow him inside of the hotel. He made it all the way up to his room without being approached by a single person and as he closed the door behind him, he couldn't help letting out a heartfelt sigh of relief. He needed to have a barrier between him and the rest of the world while he figured out how to handle this whole mess, preferably in a way that did not end with Yuugi hating him.

"Though it may turn out to be too late for that," he muttered, remembering with a cringe the way Yuugi had looked when Vivian showed him the picture on the phone. There had been no hiding that initial look of shock, even though Yuugi had done a remarkable job of hiding whatever else he'd been feeling at the time. Not for the first time he couldn't help thinking that Yuugi would be an excellent companion when it came to standing up to the media.

"Too late for what?"

Atemu jumped at the sound of the voice that sliced through the darkness. He knocked his hand against the lamp and swore when it went clattering to the ground with a distinctive shattering sound that definitely indicated that the light bulb had seen its last days. Before he could take another step a light was switched on and he looked up to see Yuugi, still wearing a damp set of clothing, finger still wrapped in a now sodden and dirtied cloth, sitting in the armchair that was next to Atemu's bed. He was also wearing a smile that looked a shade too amused for Atemu's tastes, not that he was in a position to judge.

"Yuugi?" Atemu said, slightly disbelieving and wondering if he'd tripped and fallen and was now hallucinating or dreaming. If so, he wasn't sure he wanted to wake up. He made to take a step forward and was stopped when Yuugi threw up a hand.

"Don't! You'll step on the glass," he said, gesturing to the remains of the light bulb. "Be careful."

"Right." Slowly Atemu sat down on the bed, lifting his feet off of the floor. He was very tempted to crawl the rest of the way across so that he could be closer, but he wasn't sure that his presence would be welcomed just then - even if Yuugi was the one who had been waiting in his hotel room. A confused frown crossed his face. "Um, little one, not that I'm disappointed to see that you're here but I thought you would be angry at me. What are you doing here?"

Yuugi smiled wearily, the events of the day visible in the new lines in his forehead and cheeks. "We had an appointment for us to talk," he said quietly. "Did you forget?"

"Well… no." Atemu stared at him, speechless. This was one of the reasons that he liked Yuugi so much. Yuugi never ceased to surprise him. He'd been so sure that it would take days to get Yuugi to listen to him, and now here he was being offered the chance to explain without even having said a word in his defense. He could hardly believe his fortune. "But I guess I thought that you would be angry enough with me that you wouldn't want to listen."

"I did consider it," Yuugi admitted. "When I left the school I was planning on locking myself in my room or maybe hitching a ride on the first train back to Domino City." There was a wan smile on his face. "The only thing that stopped me was how badly my shoulder hurt. I didn't think I could make it the whole way back without taking some Tylenol first. I went back to my room and that's where I saw my duel monsters cards. And I remembered everything we've talked about over the past few weeks, and I got to thinking about what you told me before we went into the school tonight, about how you'd kept something from me for a good reason. I couldn't leave without hearing you out, Yami. Sorry, Atemu."

"You can call me Yami," Atemu told him, privately thinking that Yuugi could have called him anything he wanted as long as he was willing to stay and listen. "I don't mind."

"I'll call you Atemu. That is your name. It just might take me a little while to get used to it," Yuugi replied. He shifted uncomfortably on the chair and Atemu's eyes fell to his shoulder. A sudden thought occurred to him and he straightened, concerned.

"You did take something for the pain, right?" he asked. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the sheepish look that passed over Yuugi's face. Swearing softly, Atemu swung his legs off of the bed, mindful of the glass, and hurried over to the bathroom. He knew that Seto kept some medication in his bag for emergencies and sure enough, it didn't take him too long to find a bottle of aspirin. He shook a couple out into his hand and brought the pills and a glass of water in to Yuugi. "Here, take these."

"Thanks," Yuugi said softly, obediently swallowing the pills. He grimaced with pain when he moved his arm to set the glass back down on the table.

"Go shower," Atemu said impulsively. Yuugi's clothes were still damp from water and he knew that Yuugi had to be uncomfortable. Plus it would give him a few minutes to think about the best way to explain and it would make Yuugi more relaxed. "I'll let you borrow something of mine to wear. You're in pain, I can tell. It will make you feel better. And then I will explain everything, I swear."

Yuugi hesitated for a moment before he nodded. He stood up and made his way into the bathroom. As the door closed behind him, Atemu went to the closet and took out one of his favorite robes. It was thick and warm, designed for the coldest of Egyptian nights, and he thought Yuugi would appreciate it. He cracked open the bathroom door and set it on the counter before closing the door again. Tempting though it was to linger and try to catch sight of Yuugi, he knew that doing so would be pushing his luck. Instead he turned his attention to cleaning up the glass on the carpet as best he could.

In all honesty Atemu was feeling a little foolish. For some reason, he hadn't thought that Vivian would stoop this low. Even though he knew perfectly well what she was capable of, he still persisted in believing that she was the woman he had originally believed she was, the one who acted with decorum when necessary and never went out of her way to hurt someone. Obviously she wasn't, considering that Vivian had proven time and again that she was willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted, consequences be damned. He regretted not taking more action when it came to keeping her away from Yuugi; he'd been thinking for a long time about how he would tell Yuugi the truth and a dramatic scene in front of the cameras had not been the way he wanted to go.

Still, though, what was done had been done, and there was nothing he could to change the past: he could only deal with the fall out. Yuugi was here and that was more than he had been expecting. All he could do now was try to explain. He heard the sound of the shower being shut off and a few moments later Yuugi emerged in a cloud of steam, hair dripping wet and robe drawn closely around his body, looking marginally better than he had when he'd entered. Atemu swallowed hard, his eyes tracing a bead of water that trickled down that slender throat before he could stop it.

"Why don't you sit down on the bed?" he said hoarsely. "Is your shoulder alright?"

"It will be fine," Yuugi said, sitting down and tucking the end of the robe around his knees. "It's just a little bruised, nothing to worry about." He looked up expectantly, watching Atemu. "Will you tell me?"

"Yes." Atemu sat down on the edge of the bed. He wanted to move closer but he figured that some distance would be best. "Yuugi, I… I'm sorry that I didn't tell you the truth first. I should have, before Vivian had the opportunity to. It was my responsibility and… all I can say is that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you when you tried to tell me about Vivian. I thought that ignoring her would make her go away but clearly that didn't work out so well."

"Clearly," Yuugi echoed, a hint of a smile playing around his lips.

"I already told you," Atemu went on, "that I don't tell many people who I am because of how they treat me once they know. I've had friends who tried to use me once they found out I was the prince." He swallowed hard. "There are very few people in my life that I can completely trust. It's pretty much limited to Bakura, Mariku and Seto. They're not just my bodyguards and my advisor, they're my best friends. Sometimes I'm not sure how I would have gotten this far without them."

Yuugi nodded. "I understand," he murmured, and considering how close Yuugi was to Ryou, Malik and Jou, Atemu thought he might. That made it a little easier to continue. He decided to start from the beginning.

"My mother died when I was just a child. She used to tell me stories about how she'd met my father and what happened when they got married. I was too young to comprehend most of it. There was a lot of bitterness and jealousy… things that were above my understanding at the time. But she always pressed on me the idea that it was important to marry for love. She said that I could only be a good pharaoh if I had someone who loved me as much as I loved Egypt, someone that could stand beside me and keep me from succumbing to the pressure I would face. I promised her that I would." He looked down at the ring he wore on his little finger and then held it up to show Yuugi. "On the day she died she gave me this and made me promise her again.

"As you can no doubt imagine it's hard for me to find people who are interested in_ me_ and not in becoming the Queen. Vivian was one of them. My father introduced us; she's the daughter of one of his dearest friends from China and he thought we might get along well. When I met her I was… fascinated. She was headstrong and stubborn and brilliant and I fell in love with her fast." He paused again, remembering those days. It had been exciting and intoxicating, loving Vivian. Every interaction with her had been like having a hit of some kind of drug and he'd thrown himself into addiction with abandon.

A soft hand closed around his and Atemu glanced up, startled, to see that Yuugi had closed the distance between them. He squeezed Atemu's hand gently. Atemu smiled hesitantly and turned his hand over, linking their fingers together. "When I found out that she was cheating on me I really wasn't expecting it. I had no idea. Afterwards I wondered how I could have missed it. I broke it off and asked her to leave. She agreed to go only because I told her that otherwise I would tell everyone the truth about why we had broken up. She was desperate to save face."

"Bitch," Yuugi muttered in a tone that was barely audible. "I'm glad you didn't marry her, Atemu. From what I've seen, I don't think she would've been very good to you or Egypt."

"I agree with you on that. After Vivian left I had a hard time trusting people. I found it hard to believe that anyone who professed an interest in me was actually looking at me and not the Prince of Egypt. My father won't let me ascend to the throne unless I take a partner, and on my next birthday there's a chance that the throne won't be mine anymore." Atemu stared at the ground and swallowed hard in an effort to speak past the lump that had formed. "My uncle will have the opportunity to make a claim for it instead if I'm not married in time."

"What? That's ridiculous!" Yuugi exclaimed, incensed. "You would make a great pharaoh. What difference does it make if you're married?"

"It's tradition." Atemu shrugged lightly, warmed by the thought that Yuugi was so angry on his behalf. "Mariku saw a commercial for this show on television one night. He and Bakura sent my application in. They were just joking at first but I actually thought it might be a good idea. Even if things didn't work out on the show, I figured it would be good for me to get out of Egypt and meet new people."

"And?" Yuugi said.

Atemu blinked at him. "And?"

"Have things worked out on the show?"

"Well, I guess that depends on you," Atemu replied. He desperately hoped that Yuugi would say yes but he knew that wasn't his decision to make. "If you can get past the fact that I withheld the truth from you and allowed my crazy ex-girlfriend to stalk us both and then make a huge scene in public - which I also apologize for, by the way." He rested a hand on Yuugi's good shoulder and rubbed it gently. Much to his pleasure, Yuugi relaxed under the touch and grinned.

"I'll be honest, when I first left the school I was thinking that everything between us had been a lie," he admitted. He held up a hand when Atemu started to protest. "No, let me finish. I thought that you were a stranger and that you'd conjured up some persona to make yourself seem more attractive to me. It was the only explanation for why you were so perfect." He cleared his throat and flushed. "But I realized after a little while that I was just being foolish. I was scared of being hurt the way I was when Anzu broke up with me. It didn't take me long to realize that you wouldn't be like that. What we had… it was real, wasn't it?"

"What we _have_, little one, is very real," Atemu corrected. His heart was pounding and he knew that there was now absolutely no question about it: he was in love with Mutou Yuugi. He was daring to hope that Yuugi felt the same way. "Yuugi, I'm going to be honest with you. You might have already guessed this but I'll tell you regardless, just so that you have the full story. I came on this show with the intent of finding my future wife or husband, my partner who will help me in ruling Egypt. I know that we haven't known each other very long but that hasn't stopped me from hoping that you would be that person."

Yuugi blinked and went pale. He exhaled shakily. "Atemu…"

"You don't have to answer me now. In fact, I'd rather you didn't. I just don't want there to be any more secrets between us," Atemu told him. He closed his eyes, gearing up for more honesty. This was hard, this baring of his soul, but he sensed that it was necessary and he would do what it took to mend this rift. "When you left the room tonight I felt like I was being in torn in two. It hurt far worse than Vivian's betrayal. Somehow, without me even being aware of it, I've come to depend on you. The way you look at the world, how you can be so realistic and yet still have an unfailing belief in the good in everyone, never ceases to astound me. The fact that you came back to let me explain only reinforces that. You are a wonderful man, Mutou Yuugi."

"Atemu…" Something had gone soft in Yuugi's violet eyes. He shyly reached up with his free hand and placed it over Atemu's cheek. "I want to get to know you better, the person you _really_ are, now that I know what you've been hiding from me. I can't say what will happen but that doesn't stop me from wanting to know." He gave a little laugh. "Maybe that's crazy, but when I was thinking about going home tonight all I could really think of was how little I wanted to leave you."

There was a warm feeling in Atemu's chest that was so intense he could hardly stand it. Slowly, giving Yuugi plenty of time to move away if he wished, he leaned in and pressed his lips against Yuugi's. Instead of retreating from the kiss Yuugi pressed into it with an eagerness that surprised and delighted Atemu. He wanted to deepen the kiss, wanted to take Yuugi into his arms and ravish him, but he controlled the urge, knowing that now was not the time. Both of them were exhausted from the emotional upheaval of the night and Yuugi was still in pain. Regretfully he pulled back, resting their foreheads together.

"Will you stay?" he asked quietly. "Just to sleep, I mean."

"I will," Yuugi said without the slightest bit of hesitation. Atemu smiled and reached out to snap the light off, leaving them in darkness. Yuugi slipped out of the robe and shifted over and Atemu stripped down to his boxers before climbing into bed. He curled around Yuugi, pulling Yuugi firmly against him and pressing bare skin to bare skin, and felt a thrill when Yuugi murmured his approval. He couldn't resist placing a light kiss on the side of his neck.

"Good night, little one," he whispered, closing his eyes.

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Please review!


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, so happy everyone liked how Yuugi and Atemu made up! Enjoy!

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With the absence of Bakura and Mariku the little cafe felt cold and empty, even though it was actually fairly warm and filled with loads of people. Ryou huddled further into the jacket he was wearing over his shoulders and shivered. Malik looked at him for a long moment before he got up, came around to the other side and slid in beside Ryou so that the two of them could lean together and share warmth. It would have been nice sitting there with Malik if it weren't for the fact that Ryou had no idea what was going to happen in the near future. Would Yuugi ever forgive Atemu? Or had things between them been destroyed before their relationship ever really had a chance? He really, truly hoped not. Yuugi and Atemu seemed to be so perfect for each other.

"Yeah, they are," Malik murmured and Ryou jerked, startled, not having realized that he was speaking out loud. Malik smiled, looking a little amused, and shook his head. "I think Atemu - was really good for Yuugi. It's the first time in a long while that I've actually seen Yuugi enjoying himself. He hasn't acted like this since before he got together with Anzu." He took out his phone. "Do you think... should we call him?"

"I don't know." That in itself was a rare response for Ryou. Normally he knew exactly what to do for his friends to make things better. He didn't like being left in the dark. "Yeah, maybe we should. At the very least maybe we can convince him to sleep on it before he does anything rash."

Malik pressed the number two and waited while it rang through, automatically switching it to speaker phone. Both of them stared intently at the screen and their faces fell when it rang through to voicemail. Instead of leaving a message, Malik ended the call and sent a quick text asking Yuugi to contact the two of them as soon as possible. "Should we go over to the room?" he asked, glancing out the window at the hotel. "I suppose if he's not answering he probably doesn't want to talk to anyone."

"Probably not," Ryou sighed, running a hand through his hair. If only he and Bakura had stopped Vivian before she'd gone into the room! It had been wonderful to hear more details about Bakura's background but in retrospect they could have chosen a better time for it. Of course, if Vivian really was working with someone from the show then it wouldn't have mattered what kind of provisions they'd put into place. She probably still would have found a way past. "I just feel so helpless, you know? It's like the whole disaster with Anzu all over again. We couldn't do anything then and we can't do anything now."

"That's not completely true," Malik said, though he knew exactly what Ryou was talking about. It was frustrating to be waiting around. After Anzu, all they had been able to do was be there for Yuugi, whether that meant coaxing him out of his room or running interference to make sure he and Anzu didn't see each other before Yuugi was ready for it. It would be awful if things went that route with Yami; he happened to like the thought of the eight of them being together, regardless of whether it was in Egypt or Japan or anywhere in between.

"Maybe we shouldn't have encouraged Yuugi to go on this show in the first place," Ryou muttered. "I thought it would make things better but it might have only made them worse."

There was no answer that Malik could give to that. He just sighed and tugged Ryou closer, staring out the window. It was raining now, lightly at first and then harder, big fat droplets that quickly soaked anything unlucky enough to be caught outside. The rain made it hard to see even across the street. He almost didn't see Seto's car pull up to the curb, though it would've been impossible to miss who got out. Seto and Jou made a dash for the door, with Seto slowing down just a little at the last second to allow Jou to enter before him. Malik winced when he saw the look on Jou's face and he squeezed Ryou's shoulder in warning as Jou stormed over to them.

"Prince Atemu of Egypt?" Jou hissed, glaring down at them. Most of his ire seemed to be directed towards Malik. "You can't tell me that _you_ didn't know."

"Okay, I won't," Malik said. It earned him an even darker glare, but fortunately Seto appeared beside them and pushed Jou down into the booth, temporarily silencing him. Seto sat down next to him.

"Tell me what happened," he commanded.

"Vivian showed up on their date tonight," said Ryou. He didn't know how much Seto knew about the plan, but he figured Jou had been completely left in the dark so he elaborated a little. "Yuugi and Atemu were supposed to take cooking lessons at the school downtown. Bakura and Mariku had figured out where they were going ahead of time and they thought she might try to cause trouble so Bakura and I were supposed to go there act like guards. Except Vivian got in past us and she outed Atemu to everyone in the class, including Yuugi."

Seto sucked in a sharp breath. Jou looked between the three of them and frowned. "Okay, wait, who's Vivian?" he said, puzzled. Ryou and Malik both looked at Seto.

"She's an ex-girlfriend of Atemu's," Seto answered, looking like he had a headache. "She would probably be the Queen of Egypt by now if she hadn't been cheating on him. Atemu broke it off once he found out and asked her to leave. I know she's never given up on him, even though he made it perfectly clear that they were never getting back together. I have no idea how she found out that he would be on the show but she's been making it her mission to chase Yuugi away ever since."

Ryou nodded. "Yuugi's been upset by some of the things she's said," he explained. "Anzu's news about her engagement wasn't the only thing that's been causing problems."

"So… what happened?" Jou looked at Ryou. "I'm guessing Yuugi didn't take it well."

"That's one way of putting it," Malik muttered.

"He was shocked and angry, though he tried to hide it. She even showed him a picture of Atemu as proof," Ryou replied, remembering the scene with a fresh swell of anger. "Yuugi was great, though. He managed to hold it together and pretended like he already knew. It totally threw Vivian off. She stormed out and then Yuugi left, too. He didn't give Atemu a chance to explain." And Ryou couldn't really blame him for that. It had been hard enough to hear the truth from Bakura. He couldn't imagine finding out the way that Yuugi had.

"Where is he now?" Seto asked, looking surprisingly worried.

"In his hotel room, presumably. We're not really sure to tell the truth. We tried to call but there was no answer," said Ryou. "Atemu went back to the hotel, too. I think he wanted to be alone. And Bakura and Mariku just went over. We think that there's a chance Vivian is working with someone on the show. It explains how she knew where Yuugi and Atemu would be so many times. I'm pretty sure they were going to try to figure out who it was."

"That bitch," Jou said with a vehemence that made Seto glance at him in surprise. "Why can't she just accept that Yami - ah, Atemu, isn't interested in her anymore?"

"Because some people are crazy," Malik said frankly and Ryou nodded.

"There's not much we can do tonight," Seto said. "I know that after this Atemu is going to need some time to himself. Even if I used my card to get into the room it would likely not end well." He sounded like he was talking from experience. "I'm guessing that Yuugi is going to need time, too. You three should go back to your room and stay there. I'll round up Bakura and Mariku and try to stop them from committing any more breaking and entering. In the morning we might have a better idea of what's going to happen." From the expression on his face he wasn't anticipating anything going well. Ryou didn't blame him.

"I hope that Vivian knows exactly how much trouble she's caused," he said unhappily.

Seto shot him a cold smile. It wasn't a very friendly smile and to be honest it sent chills down Ryou's spine as Seto said, "Don't worry. She will."

**YY**

Waking up in Yami's - no, in _Atemu's_ arms was easily one of the most enjoyable things that Yuugi had ever done. He could feel every place where their bodies were pressed together, one long line of heat from thigh to chest and back. Even their legs had been tangled together until he couldn't tell which foot was his. It was a delicious way to greet the day and Yuugi thought sleepily to himself that he could easily get used to this. He closed his eyes again and sighed, unable to keep his lips from twitching into a smile when he felt lips pressing against his neck in a good morning kiss.

"It's too early for this. Need more sleep," he said into the pillow.

Atemu chuckled softly, a rich dark sound that made his chest vibrate pleasantly. "Sorry, little one. Perhaps I should have warned you that princes get up with the sun."

It was meant to be a teasing comment, clearly, but Yuugi could hear the slight edge of tension and knew what it meant. He turned his head until he could look into Atemu's eyes. God he loved those eyes, especially when Atemu was looking at him the way he was now: like Yuugi was the most precious thing in the entire world. "Is there any chance I can convince you to close your eyes and go back to sleep with me?"

"Maybe on this one occasion I could be swayed," Atemu said, grinning as he leaned over and kissed Yuugi gently. Yuugi kissed back in spite of himself, feeling the last sticky vestige of sleep losing its hold over him. Atemu shifted against him and Yuugi was suddenly reminded of the fact that both of them were wearing only boxers. Normally that would have made him pull back, become shy and uncertain, but for some reason all he felt this morning was the desire to make sure that Atemu knew Yuugi wasn't going to step away from this. He wanted the world to know that Mutou Yuugi had a claim on Prince Atemu, but this would be a good start.

He kissed back with increasing passion and only broke it to squirm around so that he was facing Atemu. It was worth the flare of pain from his shoulder when it brought the front of their bodies into contact, and he swallowed when he felt a prominent bulge against his thigh. Atemu was watching him closely, though, no doubt ready to be the gentleman and pull away if Yuugi seemed out of sorts. Sweet but unnecessary and Yuugi proved it by threading his fingers into Atemu's gorgeous hair and yanking him down into another hot kiss. There was nothing chaste about this; he parted his lips eagerly and was pleased when Atemu copied him. The taste, a bit sour, was swiftly overridden by the excitement of knowing that they were here and doing this.

"Atemu," he gasped out, unable to keep from nibbling gently on Atemu's bottom lip. "I wanted you to know… I forgive you."

That stopped Atemu in his tracks. He pulled away, an unreadable look on his face, and studied Yuugi for a moment. "Yuugi… are you certain? You don't have to, you know. I'm not going to - to leave if you remain angry with me. What I did to you was - "

Yuugi burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. "My god," he said, shaking his head in wonder. "I tell you that you're forgiven and you start giving me reasons why I should still be mad?"

Atemu flushed and it was _adorable_. Yuugi grinned, knowing that saying as much would definitely not be appreciated. Truth be told, he _was _still a little mad that Atemu hadn't gotten around to explaining things sooner. And really, Atemu should have listened to him about Vivian - maybe this whole situation could have been avoided if he had. But Yuugi wasn't going to hold those things against him, not when the real blame landed squarely on Vivian's shoulders. If she hadn't been such an obsessed stalker… well, it was too late to wonder about things like that.

"I forgive you," he said again, "as long as you promise to be honest with me from now on."

"I told you last night that I didn't want there to be anymore secrets between us," Atemu replied. He took Yuugi's hand and lifted it to his lips, brushing a kiss across the back. "I meant it. Yuugi I promise that from now on I will be as honest with you as I can. There will be some things I can't tell you, though. Things that I can only talk about with Seto and Bakura and Mariku."

"I know. You are a prince," Yuugi said quietly, remembering what Atemu had said the night before. It hadn't been an outright confession of love but it might as well have been: Atemu had made it clear that he was hoping Yuugi would someday marry him and help him assume the role of Pharaoh of Egypt. Just the thought of it was enough to make Yuugi a little dizzy and he firmly pushed it aside, knowing that he couldn't think about it for long, not right now. Instead he closed his eyes and curled in closer to Atemu, deciding that he was going to take Atemu up on his offer to stay in bed.

Or at least, that was the plan, right up until the doorknob rattled once, twice, three times. Someone knocked and then a familiar, somewhat demanding voice called out Atemu's name. Yuugi groaned and Atemu chuckled. "It_ is_ 9:00am," he said regretfully, glancing at the clock. "I think Seto has decided that I've been in here long enough."

"Can't you tell him to go away?" mumbled Yuugi, knowing that it was a lost cause when the card reader beeped confirmation and the door swung open. Seto, Bakura and Mariku spilled into the room, bringing with them a waft of cold air that made Yuugi shiver. It was worth it, however, just to see the absolutely amazed looks on their faces.

"Yuugi?" Seto exclaimed, stopping short. "What are you -" He stopped and looked at Atemu in confusion.

"Problem?" Atemu asked, doing little to hide his amusement.

"No. No, of course not. I just thought…" Seto shook his head. "Never mind. Honestly, you never cease to amaze me with your luck, Atemu. Have you two been in here all night?"

"Yes, why?"

"The television idiots are all up in the air," Bakura said. "Every one of them is looking for you. Apparently they watched the footage from last night and were utterly fascinated by what happened." He kicked the door shut. "They wanted to know what the chances were that you and Vivian and Yuugi would agree to meet again and allow them to tape it."

"What?" Atemu sounded furious and, hidden by the sheets, Yuugi curled a hand over his hip and used his thumb to rub soothing circles in an effort to calm him down. "There is absolutely no way that is happening. I don't want Vivian anywhere near me or Yuugi."

"I figured as much. I told them no. But I doubt that they'll be willing to give in that easily," Seto said, crossing his arms. "This is probably the most interesting thing they've seen in years. It adds a lot of extra drama, having an ex mysteriously show up and start causing problems. It's certainly a lot more interesting than just a run of the mill dating show, even if one of the contestants is the prince of Egypt."

It didn't take Atemu long to figure out what he was implying. "You think someone brought Vivian here on purpose," he said.

"Well someone on the show is definitely working with her, at least," said Mariku. He shot an annoyed look at Seto. "And we would know who if your annoying priest hadn't stopped us from investigating."

"I stopped you from breaking and entering, Mariku."

"We wouldn't have gotten caught!"

"Enough," Atemu said sternly before Seto could respond. "We don't have time to sit here and listen to you two bicker. Bakura and Mariku, see if you can find Ryou, Malik and Jou. Bring them here so that we can have a discussion on how we're going to proceed. Ask Ryou to bring Yuugi a change of clothing. Seto, please go down to the kitchen and ask someone to bring us up some food. Try not to be seen." His voice had automatically slipped into a tone that was noticeably more commanding as he spoke. His three friends nodded and left the room, leaving Yuugi and Atemu alone.

"What are you going to do?" Yuugi asked. If his friends were coming he knew he'd have to get up and he hated it. He wanted to stay right where he was where no one, especially Vivian, could touch him.

Atemu's expression softened, like he knew what Yuugi was thinking, and he dropped a kiss on Yuugi's forehead. "I'm sorry, Aibou," he said warmly, the nickname making Yuugi blush immediately. "I want to stay here as much as you do but Vivian won't stop. I stuck my head in the sand before and she hurt you." He lightly touched Yuugi's shoulder, proving that his earlier wince of pain had not gone unnoticed. "She ignored my request to leave us alone. This time I'm going to make certain that she doesn't have a choice in the matter."

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Please review!


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: **Aw, thanks for the reviews! This story took a _totally _different turn on me so I've got no clue where it's going… I hope it's somewhere good!

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A warm feeling flooded through Yuugi and he couldn't stop the stupid grin that broke out across his face at the thought that Atemu wanted to protect him. It wasn't necessary - Yuugi was pretty sure that the next time he saw Vivian he was going to have some choice words for her of his own - but it was lovely all the same. He leaned up and kissed Atemu in thanks, fully enjoying the brief kiss before he pulled away and threw the covers back. Atemu made a low sound of distress when Yuugi sat up and a moment later his hand was hovering above Yuugi's shoulder, not quite touching the bruised skin.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "That looks like it would be very painful."

"I think I'm okay. I wouldn't mind a few of those painkillers, though," said Yuugi. He felt a little shy at only wearing boxers around Atemu, especially when he turned around and saw that Atemu's clothing didn't do him justice: he was even more stunning now than he had been at the pool, all warm golden skin over lithe lines of lean muscle, nothing compared to his own pale skin and less than attractive physique.

"I'll get you some." Atemu got off of the bed, seemingly not noticing Yuugi's moment of self-consciousness, and went into the bathroom. He returned with a glass of water and two more pills, which Yuugi took gratefully. After he'd swallowed them he shuffled into the bathroom to wash his face before anyone else showed up. One look in the mirror told him exactly why Atemu had sounded so worried. There was a large, rounded bruise on his shoulder that stretched all the way from his collarbone to the top of his arm. It was a vivid dark purplish black in color and the skin beneath was swollen and hot. It was likely a miracle she hadn't broken his collarbone.

"That bitch," he muttered, quickly discovering another problem as he started to get ready. Moving _hurt_. He couldn't raise his arm much above the level of his elbow without the muscles seizing up in pain. Getting dressed was going to be fun. He settled for pulling on the robe that Atemu had lent him the night before and tying it shut as firmly as he could. It hid the bruise but did nothing to hide the awkward way that he moved, trying his best to keep his arm close to his body, and when he opened the bathroom door and all eyes swung towards him he suspected that it was immediately obvious.

"Oh Yuugi," Ryou said softly, looking distressed. He set the clothing he was holding aside and jumped up, crossing the room in a handful of steps to tug the hem of the robe aside. He sucked in a sharp breath when he got a good look at the bruise, his face darkening in anger. As gently as he could he probed at the skin, trying to get a feel for anything that might be broken or otherwise damaged. Though it hurt Yuugi stood silently and allowed him to do it. He noticed that Jou and Malik both looked as furious as Atemu.

"Verdict, Doctor?" he asked with a faint smile.

"I don't _think_ she broke anything. You're going to hurt for a while though. I would try to keep your arm as still as possible. Maybe even use a sling," Ryou replied, pulling the robe back up and then taking a step back. "And try to take ibuprofen to help keep the inflammation down."

"This is all fascinating but can we get on with it?" Bakura said, rolling his eyes.

Atemu shot him a warning look but let the comment slide. "Does anyone know where Vivian went?" he asked.

"I've got people out trying to find her," said Seto after everyone else had shaken their heads. "But it might take a while. Vivian's got connections and she knows how to use them. After last night I suspect she'll have holed up somewhere to think about her next move."

"Well we have to come up with our next move first," said Mariku. "I went and look up what your next date would be. It's on Saturday and it's going to be a beach date for the whole group." He didn't sound thrilled by the idea.

Yuugi relaxed fractionally at that. Somehow it made him feel better to know that he and Atemu would have their friends around during the date. Of course, not that that would stop Vivian, but it was good to know that they would have back-up around just in case she reared her head again - and the chances of that happening were unfortunately high. She would likely be dying to know if her stunt had caused any damage between Yuugi and Atemu. He couldn't wait to let her know that it had actually done the opposite: now that things were finally out in the open between them he felt even closer to Atemu and he no longer had as many doubts about what was going on between them.

But Vivian would be totally in the dark about that, wouldn't she? He stared out the window, thinking hard. What did Vivian want the most? Well, that was pretty obvious. Yuugi was certain that Vivian didn't really care about Atemu. He didn't need Atemu, Seto, Bakura or Mariku to be sure of that. Not once had Vivian ever tried to _talk_ to Atemu. She hadn't explained herself or even tried to get back into his good graces: her sole plan had been concerned with driving Yuugi away. If this had been about love and not greed then he knew that she would've been making more of an effort. No, what she was trying to do was make sure that Atemu would have no choice. He'd have to marry her or forfeit the throne and Atemu would never chose the latter.

And that made Yuugi unspeakably angry. Everyone deserved to have the opportunity to find love. It wasn't right that Atemu was being pushed into marriage and it was definitely wasn't right that Vivian thought she could manipulate the situation to suit her own plans. He wanted to show her, to prove to her that there was someone who loved Atemu just because he was an amazing man, confident and strong but at the same time uncertain and generous and kind. She needed to be taught a lesson, one that she would never forget.

This brought him back to the realization that Vivian had no idea he and Atemu had made up already, since not even their friends had been aware of it. Apparently Yuugi had been stealthier last night when he was sneaking into Atemu's room than he'd thought. If they kept up the charade of not having gotten over this, maybe they would be able to draw her out. He didn't know her well but judging by last night's spectacle he felt it was pretty safe to assume that she would enjoy trying to make any attempts at reconciliation public, possibly to have eye-witnesses in case Atemu agree that they could start things up again. That would be their opportunity to give her a taste of her own medicine.

The real question was could he keep any contact between him and Atemu limited during the next two days? It was Thursday morning and the date would be on Saturday afternoon so it wouldn't really be that long, but to Yuugi it felt like months. He looked away from the window, over at Atemu, studying the hard lines of his face. He really was an attractive man and the way his expression softened when he met Yuugi's eyes only served to make him even more beautiful. Yuugi felt his resolve harden. Regardless of what happened between him and Atemu, he knew he wanted to get rid of Vivian once and for all.

"I think I might have an idea," he said slowly when there was a lull in the conversation. Bakura had been muttering something about getting rid of Vivian permanently, only not quite in the way that Yuugi was thinking. Ryou leaned over and gave him a kick in the leg, accompanied by a look that probably wasn't supposed to appear quite as amused as it did.

"Go ahead, Yuugi," he said. "What's your idea?"

"Vivian doesn't know that Atemu and I made up," said Yuugi, slightly uncomfortable at being the center of attention. Even though over half of the audience was comprised of his best friends and Atemu, he didn't know Seto, Mariku or Bakura all that well. He glanced at Atemu, who shot him a warm, encouraging smile, and felt bolstered enough to continue. "Um, I'm pretty sure that she knows she's the one who told me the truth. I'm not that good of an actor. And I think she'll be looking to cause more trouble at the date on the Saturday, especially if we act like we haven't made up yet."

"That's a good point," Seto said thoughtfully. "Vivian is the kind of person who would never forgive someone who had lied to her. She's vindictive like that. And the idea of all those cameras will be too much for her to pass up. It's certainly better then waiting for her to make a move. At least this way we can be reasonably assured that she won't risk doing anything that could cast her in a bad light."

"What do you mean?" Jou asked.

"So far Vivian hasn't done anything in front of the cameras that could be seen as underhanded or damaging," said Seto. "Every time she talked to Yuugi, they were alone."

Yuugi nodded, casting his mind back to those few times. Even just thinking about them left a bitter taste in his mouth. Her words had cost a lot of problems and he wished that he hadn't listened to her. "You're right. She always made sure that Atemu was somewhere else when she approached me on a date. The only time she didn't was when we were at the restaurant and she posed as a waitress. But even then she didn't really do anything except flirt."

"And I'm not sure anyone would judge her for that," Mariku said, grinning and batting his eyes at Atemu.

Atemu rolled his eyes. "You think that Vivian is afraid that my father will see the broadcasts and recognize what kind of person she is," he said slowly, obviously liking the idea. "That could work. If he thought that my only choice was between marrying Vivian and declining the throne and he knew what she was really like, maybe he would be willing to overturn the law." He looked almost pathetically hopeful, like a puppy that's being offered a treat after being scolded, and Yuugi couldn't resist scooting closer and taking Atemu's hand.

"Exactly," said Seto.

"The chances of the old man giving up so easily are slim," Bakura pointed out.

"But it doesn't hurt if everyone knows what she's really like," Ryou replied. He paused, studying Bakura's petulant expression and then added wearily, "And if this doesn't work then you have my full permission to take care of the situation however you like."

Bakura smirked. "I'm going to hold you to it."

"Are you going to be able to do that, though?" Malik said, looking between Yuugi and Atemu. His eyes fell meaningfully to where their hands were clasped. "It will mean that you guys won't even be able to talk to each other for the next two days."

"Maybe," Jou said slowly with a mischievous grin, "we could even go a step further than that."

**YY**

Atemu was nervous. It wasn't really an emotion he was overly familiar with. Spending the majority of one's life in the public eye would do that. Of course, he'd rapidly become acquainted with anxiety ever since meeting Yuugi, but he'd never felt quite like _this_. He glanced into the mirror again, resisting the urge to run his hands through his hair one last time. The plan was set and he was pretty sure that everything was going to off perfectly, but that didn't stop him from wanting to throw up, an urge that was becoming stronger with every passing minute.

"Would you relax?" Mariku said from behind him. "Ra, you're even starting to make _me_ nervous. Sit down, Atemu. Here, drink this." He shoved a glass of water into Atemu's hand and physically pushed him down onto the bed. "It's going to work, you know."

"I know, that's the problem," Atemu muttered, sipping at the warm water. It did help to settle his stomach a little. "I just… I really hate the thought of breaking up with Yuugi, Mariku. Even if it is going to be fake and for just a few days." Or at least, that's what he was hoping. Part of him couldn't help being a little worried that Yuugi would realize he was better off without Atemu. He didn't know what he would do if that happened. He couldn't believe that Yuugi had become so important so quickly.

Mariku sighed, looking a bit frustrated. "I thought you wanted to get back at Vivian."

"I do! Just… imagine if this was you and Malik. Imagine if you couldn't touch him or kiss him whenever you wanted, if you had to watch him walk around and know that technically anyone could snatch him up because as far as the world is concerned you have no claim." He watched an expression of understanding spread across Mariku's face, though it didn't really make him feel any better. He looked down at the glass and swirled it absently, watching the remaining liquid inside slosh. "I really don't want to do this. And I'm not sure that Yuugi does, either." Or at least he was hoping that Yuugi didn't.

"You do know that you don't have to," Mariku said carefully with what, for him, was an unusual amount of sympathy. "I mean, there are other ways for us to track her down. You could go down there right now and stake your claim in front of everyone."

The thought was immensely appealing. Atemu could picture it all too easily. He didn't think Yuugi would protest too much. He thought about taking Yuugi into his arms, kissing him, declaring his intent to win Yuugi's heart to everyone… and sighed. "No, I already agreed to do this and I'm not going to go back on my word." He set the glass aside and stood up with renewed determination.

They left the room together and proceeded down to the lobby, where Mariku left him. Officially there were no cameras around but Seto had pointed out that the hotel possessed cameras which would be taping the whole thing: footage he suspected that Vivian could get access to if she wanted first hand confirmation of what had gone on. And that was provided she wasn't there in person. Atemu did his best to subtly scan the other people around as he made his way into the restaurant, searching for anyone familiar. But he wasn't really expecting to spot her if she was there and the fact that he didn't, didn't make the looming sensation that there were unfriendly eyes on his back any less powerful.

Yuugi was waiting for him at a table near the back. Atemu's steps slowed briefly and for a moment he just looked at his little one, his throat tightening briefly at the realization that there was a very real chance that he could have lost Yuugi for real. In that moment he knew he couldn't do this. He couldn't sit down and have a meal with Yuugi, knowing what was going to come at the end. They'd originally planned for their break-up to happen at dessert, after making it seem like Yuugi wasn't buying Atemu's explanations, but there was no way he could do that. None of his media training had ever prepared him for this.

Fortunately Yuugi, sweet wonderful Yuugi, looked up at that moment and spotted him. He rose to his feet and walked over to Atemu and, in the middle of the restaurant, said loudly and simply, "I've thought about it and I don't want to hear what you have to say."

"W-what?" Atemu stammered, caught off guard. He was vaguely aware that there were people turning to look at them but he kept his focus on Yuugi.

"You lied to me," Yuugi said slowly, enunciating each word. "You made me think that you were someone you're not. I started falling in love with a man that didn't exist." Each word was perfectly formulated for everyone around them to hear and the people watching began to murmur. "You're a stranger to me and if you can do something like this, frankly I don't _want _to get to know you any better. Nothing you could tell me could fix this."

"Yuugi… please give me a chance," he pleaded. Without thinking he started to reach out to touch Yuugi's cheek. His hand froze when Yuugi pulled back as though stung.

"No, I can't. I don't know who you are." He folded his arms across his chest. "I'm willing to… to go on one last date for the show. But that's it. After Saturday, I never want to see you again." With that one last parting remark he neatly stepped around Atemu and strode towards the door.

Highly conscious of the stares, Atemu turned and stumbled after him. Yuugi was gone by the time he got to the door. He made it to the elevator and felt relieved as the doors closed, granting him a temporary reprieve from the rest of the world. He clenched his hands into fists and tried not to look at the mirrored walls, not wanting to see the man looking back at him. That - that had sounded suspiciously real. Those were the words he'd heard in his nightmares last night and this time there was no waking up to a Yuugi cuddled comfortably in his arms. He tried to write it off as paranoia, reminded himself that Yuugi had said he was forgiven, but the little niggle of doubt remained.

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Please review!


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews!

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Friday night was one of the longest nights of Ryou's life. He was perched on the edge of the bed, trying to pretend that he wasn't watching Yuugi but he suspected that he was failing miserably at being stealthy. His friend had been extremely quiet ever since the dramatic break-up scene, partly, Ryou thought, because he hadn't been able to speak to Atemu since then. They hadn't even been exchanging text messages, probably because neither of the two idiots dared to make the first move. Honestly. Sometimes he really just wanted to lock the two of them in a bedroom with nothing more to sustain them than some lube and condoms and not let them out until they'd solved their problems.

He paused and then made a mental note to _never _suggest such a thing around Mariku or Malik. The two blonds would probably find a way to make it happen.

"Yuugi," he said finally, turning towards the silent form on the bed. "Come on. Why don't we go downstairs and have something to eat? We could go to a movie or maybe just look around town a little. Jii-chan said he wanted you to bring him home something special, right? You haven't even had the chance to do that yet, you've been so wrapped up with the show."

For a moment Yuugi actually looked interested. He sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees. "Ryou, do you think I was too mean?"

"What?" It took Ryou a moment to follow the change in conversation and when he understood he winced. "No, of course not," he said hastily. He'd been there that day, squirreled away in a corner booth with Seto, Bakura and Jou. They'd listened to the break up, which had happened ahead of schedule and was even more difficult to listen to then he'd thought it would be. Yuugi, for all of his protests, actually was a pretty good actor and Atemu had looked devastated. It was hard to believe that the discouraged slump of his shoulders as he left the room was really faked. Apparently Yuugi was thinking the same thing.

"I just - " He stopped and swallowed hard, looking over at his phone. "I couldn't sit there and talk to him knowing that she might be watching us. The idea made my skin crawl. I know I deviated from the plan. I hope he's not mad at me for doing that."

"I can't see how you breaking up with him earlier would have made a difference, but you do have a point," Ryou admitted, much as he hated to. They didn't know Vivian as well as the others did. Maybe she wouldn't be fooled by Yuugi's quick break-up after all, in which case the date tomorrow was going to be about as fun as jumping out of an airplane. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yuugi, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," Yuugi said.

"Have you thought about what would happen if everything works out?" he asked, watching Yuugi closely. "I mean, what if Vivian leaves Atemu alone and you guys finish the show in peace or whatever? I can tell that you really like Atemu but I also know you know that he has to go back to Egypt. Have you… would you go with him if he asked you to?" They hadn't talked about this since Yuugi had found out the truth and he was dying to know.

Yuugi went so still that if Ryou hadn't been studying him so intently he might've thought that Yuugi had passed out. As it was, Yuugi just stared at the covers for a very long time, and when he spoke his voice was so quiet that Ryou had to lean forward to hear it. "It's not… not like I haven't thought about it. Of course I have. Even before I knew who he was I was wondering what we would do if this worked out. I wasn't sure if he would be willing to move here. Now that I know, I know for certain that anything between us would depend on me moving to Egypt. And I… I'm not opposed to the idea. I mean, it's _Egypt_." The corner of his lip twisted into a small smile. "I've dreamed of going there for my whole life."

"But living there…"

"It would be totally different, yes, I realize that." He plucked at one of the strings hanging off of the sheets, winding it around his finger. "On Wednesday night Atemu implied that he wasn't opposed to the idea of us becoming, you know, permanent. He said that he'd come here to find his partner, the person who could help him rule Egypt, and he was hoping that would be me."

Ryou stared, a little stunned. He'd fleetingly considered the idea that if Yuugi and Atemu actually got married that meant Yuugi would be… well, yeah, but it was much harder to embrace the idea as reality. He knew, though, that Yuugi would be a wonderful ruler if he was ever given the chance. Yuugi was kind and generous and had the ability to see the good in everyone. Paired with Atemu's confidence and experience and love for his country the two of them would make a formidable pair that would serve Egypt well for the next several years. He blinked and realized that he could see it. Them. He could see it so easily that it was almost disturbing.

"And," he said a little shakily, "how did that make you feel?"

"Flattered. Nervous. A little bit like I wanted to throw up," Yuugi replied. "I really like Atemu, Ryou. I might even be in love with him." He licked his lips. "But that's a lot of pressure, ruling a country. I can honestly say it's never something I've thought about. And I'd have to leave Japan behind, Jii-chan and the game shop. What if I didn't like Egypt?"

"Then you would work something out," said Ryou confidently. "There's nothing saying you couldn't visit Jii-chan anytime you wanted to. Maybe he'd even want to come with you. He loves Egypt."

"I just can't imagine him leaving the shop behind."

"Stranger things have happened, Yuugi. Look, I know this is freaking you out. You weren't expecting to actually fall in love when you came here, much less with a prince. I get that. Believe me, I get that." He flopped over and rolled onto his stomach, propping his chin in his hands. "But if you really do love Atemu then I think you should be willing to at least entertain the idea."

"It's just so crazy." Yuugi shook his head with a little laugh. "We've only known each other for a few weeks."

"Well, no one is saying you have to go get married tomorrow! I think you guys will be much better off as soon as you're out from under the pressure of this ridiculous show." Ryou told him, knowing that it was the truth. He didn't think this was the kind of environment where anyone would be able to do anything productive, much less do something like fall in love. He thought it was amazing that Yuugi and Atemu had managed to come as far as they had. He reached out and put a hand on Yuugi's ankle, squeezing it comfortingly. "I'm telling you, I really think that things are going to work out okay."

"Thanks Ryou." Yuugi straightened up a little and smiled. " I haven't spoken to Atemu since Thursday. I know that I can't see him but I can call him."

"I think that's an excellent idea," Ryou said and he really meant it. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tossed it to Yuugi. "Here, you can use mine. That way you can be sure that no one will find out. I'm just going to go to the bathroom, okay?" He stood up and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. It went against everything he had in him to eavesdrop, so even though he was burning with curiosity he turned the fan on and that was sufficient to block out the sound of Yuugi's voice from the other room.

He used the toilet and then washed his hands, dawdling so that Yuugi would have ample time to chat. The harsh light in the room made him look awful and washed out. It reminded him of the way he used to look during his first couple of years as a med student. God that had been alternately frustrating and maddening and wonderful. Sometimes Ryou missed those days. But then there were other days when he was actually glad he didn't have to worry about it. He just never stopped wishing that it had been his choice to make. He stared into the mirror for a couple of seconds and then looked away. That was _definitely _something he no longer wanted to think about.

Yuugi knocked on the door. "You can come out now."

"That was fast," Ryou said, raising an eyebrow as he opened the door. "I thought you guys would talk for hours."

"I wouldn't leave you in there that long," Yuugi said with a small smile. He seemed to be a lot more relaxed than before. There was a genuine smile on his face as he held out Ryou's phone. "I just wanted to make sure that he was okay, that's all. I think that he was happy to hear from me."

"I'm sure he was." Privately Ryou thought that Atemu had probably been having just as hard a time and that hearing from Yuugi had probably gone a long way towards smoothing things over. He took the phone. "It won't be too much longer and you guys will have the chance to talk in person. Just think, by this time tomorrow night it will be over!"

Yuugi laughed. "I hope you're right, Ryou, I really do. Every time I think about how much trouble Vivian has caused it makes me angry all over again. I have to wonder if she ever really cared about Atemu, or if the whole time she was just obsessed with becoming the Queen of Egypt. It doesn't seem right." He went quiet for a moment, a pensive frown on his face. "Hearing how everyone talks about her, and even just from what I've seen, I'm glad that Atemu didn't go through with marrying her. I don't think that he would have been happy with her in the long run."

"No, probably not. Bakura says she would have been a horrific queen and Egypt probably would have gone through a lot of problems. Atemu would have had a hard time with that. Fortunately, I think you'll make a much better Queen." Ryou smiled.

"Ryou!" Yuugi flushed. "I told you I don't know what's going to happen between us." He turned away and wandered back over to the bed. "Look, I don't think I'll come downtown with you tonight. I'm kind of tired. I think I'll just stay here."

"Okay, if you're sure. I'm going to go find Bakura." He moved across the room to the door and glanced over his shoulder one last time. Yuugi was sitting on the bed again, but he no longer looked the very picture of depression. Instead, he was actually smiling as he took out his own phone and began typing. Ryou sighed, feeling a little bit of tension melt away, and opened the door, slipping out into the hallway. It felt good to know that Yuugi was doing alright and that he didn't have to be so worried. He hated it when his friends were unhappy.

The door to the room that he shared with Malik was closed and judging from the faint moans coming from inside Ryou knew he didn't want to risk opening it. Instead he turned right and took the hallway down to the other side of the hotel. Mariku had given him a spare key to the room that he had been sharing with Bakura. It was just as well, considering that Mariku had all but moved into the other room. Ryou swiped it and pulled the door open, half-expecting to see Bakura, but the room was empty. He sighed and let the door fall shut behind him, moving over to the bed. He was just about to take out his phone and call Bakura when he heard voices out in the hallway.

" - telling you, I could get fired for this."

"Come on, Mai, don't be such a baby. No one is going to know that you showed me where his room is. Besides, you didn't have to come up here with me. You could have just told me the number. I'm not a child; I could've found it without any trouble."

In a flash Ryou was off the bed and rushing to the door. He put his eye against the peep hole and peered through. The view was distorted but it allowed him to see two women, one with long blonde curls and the other with short dark hair. Mai and Vivian! He couldn't believe that either one of them would have the nerve to be out in the hallway, especially when Seto still had people searching for Vivian. Obviously they weren't expecting for anyone else to be around. He felt a small flicker of worry for Bakura, Seto and Jou. He wouldn't have put it past Vivian to have found a way to keep them preoccupied if she really wanted to talk to Atemu without anyone else around.

"I came up because I wanted to be sure you weren't going to do anything even more stupid than you already have," Mai said flatly. "I can't believe you, Vivian. Honestly, you actually_ hurt_ Yuugi and we've got footage of you doing it, too. How could you be so stupid? He could sue you!"

"He just made me mad," Vivian said, shrugging her shoulders. "You should have seen the way he was snuggling up to Atemu."

There was a long pause during which Ryou couldn't hear or see anything and it was maddening. As far as he could tell Mai and Vivian were just standing there staring at each other. It was impossible to tell if they were doing something else. He was tempted to unlock the door and pull it open just a bit but the chance was too high that he would get caught. He had the feeling that letting Mai or Vivian know that was listening to them would be a very bad idea, especially if they found out that he was alone. He wondered if Atemu was still next door.

"You do know," Mai said at last, "you do know that Atemu doesn't belong to you, right?"

"Shut up." Vivian's voice was sharp. She turned away from Mai and stepped out of sight. A second later Ryou heard the sound of her knocking on the door. He waited, holding his breath, to see if it would be answered and only inhaled when a couple of minutes went by with no answer in spite of Vivian's increasingly demanding knocks. Finally, she spit out, "Damn it! Where the fuck is he?"

"How should I know? He's a grown man, maybe he went out with his friends," Mai said, sounding exasperated. "I thought you had people watching the hotel."

"I do. He must have slipped out. Bakura's smart enough for that." Vivian slammed her fist down on the door one last time, letting out a growl of frustration. "Fuck!"

"Stop that! I'm not covering for you if you cause property damage!"

"Oh please." Vivian fell silent and when she spoke it was with a distinctly thoughtful edge that Ryou didn't like. "I don't suppose you guys have got duplicate keys to the rooms, do you? If I could get inside I know I'd be able to tell if Atemu's broken up with that brat." Mai must have shaken her head because Vivian swore softly again. "I wonder if I would be able to steal a key. That guy at the front desk was staring at us pretty hard when we walked in. I bet if I flirted with him you could slip around the desk and get the card."

"No. Just - no way," Mai said. "Are you insane? Literally, I'm starting to wonder. You said you wanted to _talk_ to Atemu, not break into his room."

"Alright, you know what? I am getting really tired of your attitude, Mai Valentine. You can just stop being so high and mighty. Every time I turn around you're acting like I _made_ you do this. Don't forget that you and I are in this together. You _wanted_ to help me."

"Yeah, I did, but that was before I knew what you were really capable of," said Mai quietly, so softly that Ryou had to struggle to hear what she was saying. "I just - you're a totally different person than I thought you were. You made me believe - well. It doesn't matter what you told me now that I know better. And I'm not going to help you anymore. I'm done, Vivian. No amount of ratings is worth this."

Vivian didn't say anything but her silence spoke volumes. Her voice was like ice when she said, "Fine. That's just _fine_. I don't really need you anyway. I'm perfectly capable of getting Atemu back without your help. But don't think I won't know if you tell anyone, Mai. If I go down I'm taking you with me."

Ryou waited to hear the sound of Vivian's footsteps receding down the hallway before his fingers found the latch and pulled it open. Mai glanced up at him from where she was leaning against the wall. Curiously, she didn't look like she was all that surprised to see Ryou standing there. She straightened up slowly and raised an eyebrow at him, her arms dangling at her sides instead of crossed defensively.

"You… you're not helping Vivian anymore?" he asked tentatively.

"No," Mai said, "but I'm pretty sure you already knew that.

He flushed a little and shrugged. "You guys weren't exactly quiet about it." He fiddled with the knob and then said, "Do you want to come and talk about it?"

Mai hesitated, her eyes searching his face like she was trying to figure out what he meant by the offer. "Yes," she said finally. "Yes, I would."

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Please review!


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews, guys. I know you probably won't like me for the teasing taste of what's to come that you get in this chapter, hah. Enjoy!

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Saturday morning was bright and hot and sunny. Yuugi stood at the window and looked down at the street below. It would be a wonderful day for the beach, he knew. The temperature was warm enough to have heated the water, which meant that swimming would be a lot of fun. At any other time he would've been really looking forward to the opportunity. They were going to have a picnic, with the food provided for them by the hotel, and he could easily imagine the fun that they were going to have. But at that moment he wasn't excited, not in the least. All he could feel was an increasing sense of dread that, truth be told, was starting to make him feel a little sick to his stomach.

The thought of what they were about to do was no longer sitting so well with him. Though he was looking forward to knowing that Vivian would be out of the picture once and for all, he didn't anticipate what they were going to do. Yuugi had never liked holding a grudge with someone, and even though it had only been a couple of days his anger towards Vivian had already begun to cool. He wasn't sure what exactly would be gained by embarrassing her in front of the crowd at the beach. For that matter, he wasn't even sure _what _they had planned. If it was just Atemu he would've been relatively confident in saying that Vivian would merely be getting a stern talking to, but it was Bakura and Mariku he was really worried about.

He knew that even with Ryou's and Malik's calming influence, the two of them could easily get out of control. After all, Bakura had been talking about getting rid of Vivian permanently, and he didn't mean sending her on a long trip, either. And the ironic thing was, Vivian would probably deserve whatever it was. She had broken Atemu's heart once already and Yuugi had the feeling he still didn't know the whole story about the situation. Regardless of how they might try to play it off, Bakura especially, they were all extremely loyal to Atemu and no doubt wanted to take this opportunity to make her pay. He didn't even know if Seto would have tried to rein them in for that reason. It was also why Yuugi hadn't brought this up with any of them. He had the feeling that his new reservations would not be taken lightly.

"I just hope that no one gets hurt," he muttered, pressing a hand to the cold glass.

"Don't worry, Yuugi," a voice said right behind him. Yuugi jumped and spun around to see that Malik was standing right behind him.

"Malik!" he exclaimed, clutching a hand to his chest. "Why do you always insist on sneaking up behind me? It's like you're trying to send me into an early grave, I swear."

Malik grinned. "I'm trying to keep you young," he teased, lavender eyes twinkling with mirth. "Actually, I wasn't sneaking into the room at all. I made just as much noise as I always do. But you were so preoccupied with worrying about what was going to happen today that you didn't even notice." His face took on a knowing expression that made Yuugi squirm. "And that's exactly why I came up here in the first place, because I knew you'd be driving yourself crazy worrying about what was going on. You always do that."

Yuugi pouted. "Well excuse me for worrying."

"You're excused," Malik replied cheerfully, laughing as he blocked a weak blow of retaliation. "Look, I know what you're thinking and I wanted to tell you that you should stop. You know that Vivian is an awful person, Yuugi. She deserves every single thing that's going to happen to her."

"I know. I just hate that things had to be this way," Yuugi said. He fell silent for a moment, remembering what Ryou had told them about Mai and Vivian. They'd all been surprised to hear that Ryou had had a conversation with her, especially one in which Mai had divulged a lot of interesting information about Vivian. Namely, that she had known Atemu was going to be on the show from the very beginning. Mai and Vivian had been friends since they were small, their parents being close, and Vivian had spun an intricate story about how Atemu had broken her heart after being fed a story by his jealous bodyguards. Vivian had begged her for the chance to make up and Mai had agreed, only to find out much later that actually Vivian was being anything but apologetic. She was the one who had passed along a lot of the information to Vivian. It was still up in the air over whether or not Seto was going to sue her for breaking the privacy contract.

"And you're hoping that no one goes overboard, right?" Malik said, his face softening slightly. "Okay, look, I'm hoping the same thing, personally. I've tried to discuss it with Mariku once or twice but he dodges my questions every time I ask. Even Seto won't talk about it and I got Jou to ask him." He frowned a little and then tried to smile. "But still I'm sure things will turn out okay. As long as Vivian agrees to leave Atemu alone I don't think they'll do anything too bad to her."

That would've been very reassuring were it not for the fact that Malik sounded like he was trying to convince Yuugi as well as himself. Yuugi sighed and rubbed his forehead, wincing as his shoulder throbbed. Even a handful of days hadn't been enough to assuage the pain, though admittedly as long as he didn't move too much it wasn't that bad. "Yeah, okay, you're right. I guess we should just go there and get it over with. After all, as long as the four of us are there to intervene, how bad can it be?"

"That's the spirit!" Malik went to punch him in the shoulder and then froze with his hands a few inches away. He settled for ruffling Yuugi's hair instead. "Now let's go. I think the limo is downstairs waiting for us and so are Ryou, Jou and Mai."

Yuugi screwed his face up, not liking the thought of being anywhere near Mai after the stunt she had pulled. If it hadn't been for her, Vivian wouldn't have been able to interfere nearly as much as she had. Mai had nearly ruined everything and Yuugi wasn't ready to forgive her for that. But she did have insight to Vivian that the rest of them didn't, so he supposed it was the smartest thing to do. "Alright. I packed my stuff this morning."

"Are you wearing your swimsuit?" Malik asked.

"No," Yuugi said reluctantly after a split second of hesitation. He sighed when he saw the look Malik was giving him and went into the bathroom to change. His swimming trunks were already sitting on the counter where they'd been for the past two hours. He hated the thought of changing into them. It was one thing to be mostly naked in front of Atemu when they were in the bedroom or in bed together. That was private and intimate and really completely different from being out on a public beach where Atemu could compare him to everyone else and find him_ lacking_. Pouting the whole time, he pulled his swimming trunks on and tucked his pants into his bag.

"Yuugi!" Malik banged on the door. "Come on, we're going to be late.'

"I'm ready!" He opened the door and followed Malik across the room and out into the hall. They took the elevator down to the lobby, which was pretty empty except for a couple of clerks staring at them with open curiosity. Malik led the way outside, where Ryou, Jou and Mai were already waiting. Well, Ryou and Jou were standing together. Mai was standing a few feet away looking extremely uncomfortable. The expression on her face was almost enough to make Yuugi feel sorry for her, until he remembered what she had been doing. Then he got angry all over again. It was an odd combination that left him feeling unsettled.

"Good morning," Ryou said, pulling his sunglasses down so that he could get a good view of his two friends.

"Got your sunscreen?" Malik asked by way of answer.

Ryou made a face and reached into his bag, pulling out a bottle of the stuff. "SPF 50," he announced grimly. "It was the strongest that they had."

Yuugi gave him a sympathetic smile. As much as he was dreading the beach, he knew Ryou had to hate the thought of it even more. Poor Ryou was so pale that he burned after very little exposure to sunlight. The few times they had gone to the beach, Ryou usually went home bright pink. On more than one occasion he had burned a dark red that had taken a good month to fade. Now he usually made it a point to wear a thick layer of sunscreen that he reapplied every couple of hours, and he stayed under the beach umbrella as much as possible. Not that Yuugi blamed him for that, and if he had his way he would be joining Ryou under the umbrella for most of the day.

"You'll be fine," said Jou, grinning.

"That's easy for you to say!" Ryou glared at him. Jou and Malik always tanned in the sun, their skin turning a dimpled shade of gold that only served to make them both look a little like sun gods.

Jou just laughed. "You'll probably be way too busy to even think about that," he said.

"He's right," Malik said, looking at Mai.

She hesitated before coming over to them. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes, we are," Jou said, not quite looking her in the eyes. After hearing what she had been doing, he was relieved that she'd shown no signs of returning his initial crush. It could have easily spelled disaster if she had. There was no way he wanted to be torn between a girlfriend and his best friends because really, there was just no contest.

Mai nodded. "The limo is waiting for us. We should go." For a moment she looked like she might want to say something more, but at last she just turned and walked over to the car, a defeated slump to her shoulders. And Yuugi hated, absolutely hated, that he actually felt sorry for her as he followed her over to the car. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he hold a grudge against someone who actually deserved it? Why did he always have to be so _nice_?

"Hey," Ryou said softly, catching his arm as Malik and Jou climbed in. "Yuugi, you know you don't have to do this, right? You can call the whole thing off at any time and everyone will understand."

"Maybe you would but I don't think everyone else would," Yuugi replied and he was only half-kidding. "No, really, it's okay. Vivian has been a total pain to them for much longer than she has us." He rubbed absently at his shoulder. Ryou's eyes flicked to the bruising just visible along the collar of his shirt and he frowned. "They have a right to want to get back at her and I don't want to be a kill joy. I just… you know I forgive anyone who ever said or did anything bad to me eventually. It's just the way I am."

"I know. And that's not a bad thing, believe me." Actually Ryou thought that quality had probably gone a long way towards saving Yuugi's and Atemu's relationship. "But I bet Atemu will make sure that things don't get too out of hand."

"I hope so." Yuugi climbed into the car and Ryou got in next to him.

"Okay, Mai," Malik said as soon at the door was shut. "Tell us again what Vivian is planning."

Mai sighed. "My story isn't going to change no matter how many times you make me repeat it," she shot back. "But fine. Vivian is planning to be at the beach. Once Yuugi is out of the way she's going to talk to Atemu. She said she wants to make it clear to him that she's the sensible choice when it comes to being the next Queen of Egypt. _How _she's going to do that, she never said." She studied their expressions and then added, "And before you ask, she didn't tell me how she plans to deal with Yuugi, either. I don't know what she's going to do. I couldn't even begin to guess."

"How is she going to make it clear to Atemu?" Ryou wondered. "He hates her and she must realize that."

"I already told you, _I don't know_." Mai sounded annoyed. "Isn't it enough that I've given you what I have?"

"It would be if you'd told us anything helpful," Malik mumbled.

"Listen," Mai began angrily.

"Enough!" Yuugi said before a fight could break out between them. He turned his head and glared at the two of them. "I believe Mai. If she said she told us everything she knows then I think she's telling the truth. You're not going to get anything else, Malik, so please stop." He was tired. Tired of this whole situation, of having to constantly wonder if anyone around them could be trusted, and he just wanted it to be over and done with. He couldn't wait to go to bed that night, hopefully with Atemu, and just forget about everything.

"Sorry, Yuugi," Malik said and Mai muttered something similar. Her violet gaze was studying Yuugi intently but he didn't bother to meet her eyes, just went back to looking out the window as they got that much closer to something he was certain was going to end badly.

**YY**

Seto felt like he was on edge. Normally he was very good at keeping his composure, and even now he was doing an admirable job of presenting a calm front, but that did little to help the anxiety that was growing inside him. He was tense as the limo pulled up to the parking lot and stopped. The four of them just sat there and looked at one another for a long time before Seto sighed and reached out, putting a hand on the door and pushing it open in one smooth movement. He got out first, sweeping his gaze over the crowds of people in an effort to see if Vivian was around. But there were so many people that it would be impossible to see her even if she _was_ there. Frowning, he stepped aside for first Bakura, then Atemu, and finally Mariku to exit the car.

"I don't see her but that doesn't mean she's not here. Be on your guard," he said in a low voice. They had already decided that Bakura would stick close to Atemu, just in case Vivian had decided to get a little more violent with her stunt, while Mariku helped him observe. After everything Seto had seen, including the "accident" with Yuugi and the pot, he wasn't going to put it past her. He helped Mariku to take the bags out of the car and then took the lead, striding across the lot towards the sand with the other three bringing up the rear.

It was a warm Saturday, the kind of day that was just meant for the beach, and so it was quite busy. Their only saving grace was that some of the show's assistants had been sent ahead quite early that morning to claim a good-sized spot for the boys to set up in. Seto set down the bags that he was carrying and spread out the blanket they had brought. On the one hand, they had a good position: they were close to the ice cream shack but far enough away that they were out of the immediate hustle, and - as requested - they were far enough back from the water that no one would be able to sneak up on them that way. Atemu sat down in the middle of the blanket and Bakura and Mariku stationed themselves on either side.

"This is not fun," Atemu said, staring straight ahead at the water. He knew how to swim - they all did - but Seto wasn't sure that would be such a great idea. Too bad the producers of the show were insisting on it. This "episode" was likely going to make up a good portion of their money shots. Already, the cameraman who had been following them around was zooming in on Mariku as he pulled off his shirt, leaving him in just a pair of dark purple swim trunks. His chest looked nicely bronzed and muscled in the brilliant light.

"It's not supposed to be," said Bakura. Unlike Mariku, he was putting on sun block. He was the only one out of the four of them that had the tendency to burn on occasion and he was a real bastard whenever he had to deal with it. Atemu had laid down the law about sun block a long time ago. And it probably didn't help that the camera was now watching him instead of Mariku. Bakura shot the man a Look but let it go.

"Yuugi and the others will be here soon," Seto said, checking his phone. There were no messages and nothing to indicate that the others were close but he felt sure that they were since it was already almost one. He sat down on the blanket and tucked his phone back into his pocket, joining his cousin in looking out at the ocean. The water did look inviting, clear and calm and blue and, more importantly, cool. If they could get Vivian dealt with he might even enjoy going for a swim, especially if he could drag Jou in with him. The thought made him smirk.

Mariku stiffened suddenly. "To your right."

Seto wanted to look. He desperately wanted to look. But he forced himself not to. "Is it her?"

"I can't be sure." Mariku sounded frustrated. "I think so but she was moving too fast for me to see. I only got a glimpse of her before she went behind a crowd and now I can't see anything." He paused. "Should I go check?"

"Yes," Atemu said.

"No," Seto countered. As much as he wanted to get this over with he knew that staying with Atemu was more important. Mariku nodded and subsided, curling up into a tight ball and glaring at everyone who tried to walk by their blanket. Atemu sighed and his shoulders slumped but he offered up no argument.

It was truly hard to say who was happier to see Yuugi, Jou, Malik and Ryou walking across the sand towards them.

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Please review!


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Ok, I'll be honest, I had no idea where this story was going… and then while I was writing this chapter it all fell into place. God I love it when that happens. Enjoy!

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Surreptitiously, Malik studied the faces of Mariku, Seto, Bakura and Atemu as he and his friends approached, noticing the unnatural stiffness to every one of them that practically screamed something wasn't right. He sighed and rolled his eyes. Atemu might have been a prince and his friends of equal, if lesser politically, importance, but the four of them really needed lessons in remaining relaxed when out in public. It was completely obvious that they weren't there to have fun and it was drawing a lot of attention, even more than the television cameras were. For that reason, when he got to the blanket he threw his bag down, plopped himself down in Mariku's lap, and yanked the man down into a steamy kiss.

Ryou choked on a laugh, setting his bag down more gently. He didn't need to look to know that Yuugi was probably biting back a grin and Jou would be stifling laughter. That was Malik, never one to back down from a challenge. "Everything alright so far?" he inquired delicately, falling to his knees beside Bakura.

"Mariku thought that he saw her but it might've been a false alarm," said Bakura, unwinding only slightly as Ryou leaned against him. "But we know she's around here somewhere."

Yuugi was tempted, probably more than he should have been, to suggest that the eight of them forget about this and go somewhere for burgers. Because standing there and realizing that Atemu wasn't going to acknowledge him, regardless of whether or not that was sensible on Atemu's part, hurt a lot. He didn't want to be as passionate as Malik (he didn't think he would ever be confident enough for that sort of public display) but he would still have liked the chance to greet Atemu with a kiss or at least some kind of gesture that would let them both know things were still okay. He sighed and knelt on the far side of the blanket, putting his own bag down beside Ryou's. Jou sat down beside him and it didn't escape Yuugi's notice that he had also situated himself close to Seto.

"Now what?" Jou asked, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"We wait," Seto said firmly.

Waiting. Yuugi had never been very good at that. He pulled his knees up to his chest and stared down at the blanket, listening with half an ear as Mariku tried to talk Malik into going swimming in between kisses that left them both breathless. It wasn't going well, unsurprisingly. He wondered whether Vivian would approach him if the others were around, or if he would have to wander away on his own. Was she waiting for some kind of sign that things were still sour between him and Atemu? He didn't think he had another confrontation in him, not now. His stomach was feeling achier with every passing minute and the thought of saying anything else that might destroy their fragile relationship was not a pleasant one.

"I think I'm going to run to the bathroom," he said out loud, realizing as he spoke that no one was listening. Jou was deeply involved in a conversation with Seto about Kaiba Corp. Seto had a hand loosely curled over Jou's hip. Mariku had given up on swimming and gone back to making out with Malik. Bakura had one arm wound around Ryou's waist and although he was still watching the crowds, Ryou was curled up with a book open on his thighs. And Atemu had stretched out on his back with his eyes shut. Judging from the rhythmic way his chest was rising and falling, either he was already asleep or nearly there.

Knowing that he wouldn't be missed, Yuugi stood up and left, crossing the sand towards the ice cream shack and the long line of people who were waiting. His phone rang while he was skirting the edge of the line and he pulled it out, squinting in the sun, to see that it was Anzu. He sighed. It seemed like Anzu had the innate ability to know when he was on a date, not that she was doing much harm by interrupting this one. "Hello?"

"Yuugi, oh thank god." Anzu's voice sounded kind of strange. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course," he said, a little surprised. He paused beneath the shade of the shack. "I'm at the beach standing in front of the line for ice cream, trying to decide whether I want to brave the hour-long wait to get some. What's up?"

"I just had the weirdest phone call from this girl," said Anzu. "It was totally bizarre. She was asking me all of these questions about you and our relationship and the Game Shop. She even asked me about Jii-chan and your dueling history. And she was asking me about Illusion Island." She paused and a chill went down Yuugi's spine. "I thought she was just a reporter at first. But the questions she was asking were way too personal for that so I hung up on her and called you right away. Are you alright? What's going on?"

"It's a long story," Yuugi said honestly. Was this Vivian's plan, then? Was she going to drag the truth about Illusion Island and Pegasus and the threat he had made about Yuugi's mother out for the public to see? Or did she think that Yuugi hadn't told Atemu about it already? Either way that could easily explain how she was planning to make Atemu think Yuugi wasn't fit to be Egypt's Queen. He licked his lips, feeling sick, and caught sight of a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. When he turned to look he could hardly believe it.

It was Vivian, and she was standing there with one hand on her hip, wearing a bright red bikini that showed off just enough to make the suit seem more dangerous than it really was and a pair of gold sandals that made her long legs appear even longer, skin glistening with sun tan oil. Her hair was still pulled up into those two buns. A pair of sunglasses rested on the tip of her nose but when she realized that she'd caught Yuugi's attention she pushed them up and smirked. It was a taunting smirk, the sort of look that practically screamed 'I know something you don't know!' and Yuugi clenched his jaw in response.

"Anzu, how much did you tell her?" he asked, knowing that Vivian was probably getting a sickening amount of pleasure from this. She just _had_ to bring in Yuugi's ex-girlfriend, didn't she? There was no doubt in his mind that she knew Anzu would call him as soon as they hung up. She'd planned on it.

"I'm sorry," Anzu whispered. "I didn't mean to - I thought she was a reporter," she repeated desperately. "I told her about the smaller competitions and that you won at Illusion Island and that the Kame Game Shop had done really well afterwards. I didn't think anything of it until she started asking about your family. Yuugi, have I… are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," he said gently and before she could say anything else he hung up. Almost immediately his phone began to ring again but he ignored it, tucking it back into the pocket of his suit. He started walking towards Vivian and when he was about ten feet away she turned and began moving towards the parking lot. Yuugi followed her off of the sand and across the pavement towards the other side. Right before she would've left the pavement entirely Vivian stopped and spoke.

"It was so amusing to find out what was in your past," she said without turning to face him. "Every one has something, you know, but I have to admit for a while there I was getting a little bit worried. You actually seemed like you might be as innocent as you first appeared. But then it all worked out."

"What do you want, Vivian?" Yuugi said through gritted teeth. He wasn't sure he knew what she was talking about. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

"I want you to stay away from Atemu, of course." Finally she turned around, and this close Yuugi was struck by the raw hatred in her expression. She looked at him like the way most people would look at a bug, like he wasn't even worth the time it would take to step on him. "I tried to do it the easy way. If you'd just done the show like Mai wanted and then bowed out at the end we wouldn't even be having this problem."

"You…" For a moment words failed him in the face of her audacity. "You don't have a claim on Atemu, Vivian. He doesn't belong to you. He's a person with thoughts and feelings of his own and as I understand it they're not inclined to like you very much."

"Atemu is just being foolish. He's too naïve to understand what you really need to do to be successful." She smiled suddenly. "But you do, don't you, Yuugi?"

Yuugi watched her without speaking for a second, feeling like he was being led into some sort of trap. But he wasn't sure how. It didn't sound like this was about his mother. He hated to admit that he wasn't following her but the longer he remained silent the more foolish he looked. At last, he cleared his throat and attempted for a cold, unaffected voice when he said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'll just bet you don't," she purred. "We always wish that the things we've done in the past won't come back to bite us in the ass later on, but so often they do. And in this case, I'm afraid I'm helping things along just a bit. You see, I had a _lovely_ chat with man by the name of Pegasus Crawford not too long ago. I was pretty surprised to hear from him to be honest. I don't really know all that much about Duel Monsters. It's one of those silly little card games that Atemu loves. One day I plan to break him of that dreadful habit. So as you can imagine, I couldn't think of why the creator would be calling me up. But as it turns out he's been keeping quite a close on you, Mutou Yuugi, and he knew about you entering the show. He even knew all about me!"

There was no way that this was going to end well. Yuugi swallowed and squared his shoulders. "What did you tell you?" he asked warily.

"Oh, he had quite the story. He explained to me all about the duel and how the favored contestant to win was a young duelist by the name of Bandit Keith." Vivian tapped one finger against the side of her chin, like she was thinking hard. "And then this upstart showed up and started beating people left and right. No one knew who he was or where he came from, just that he excelled at every duel and barely broke a sweat when it came to beating Bandit Keith. He and his three little friends entered the Castle with no problem. And that's when Pegasus's story got really interesting. He explained to me exactly how you cheated, Yuugi."

"What?" For a moment Yuugi was too astonished to do anything but stare at her. "I didn't cheat!"

"No?" Vivian was outright grinning now, her face flushed with triumph. "That's funny, because Pegasus told me how the night before the last duel, you and your friends went sneaking around the place. He even had the footage to prove it. You entered his private rooms and came out with information that didn't belong to you. You _blackmailed _him and that's how you won. What would Atemu think, Yuugi, if I told him the truth? Better yet, what do you think would happen to your grandfather's shop? To your reputation?"

There was literally nothing Yuugi could say. In a horrible flash of understanding he could see it, exactly how Pegasus and Vivian could twist things to say that Yuugi had cheated to win, blackmailing Pegasus until he agree to toss the duel. What they'd had on Pegasus would never hold up as evidence, and who would people be more willing to believe - Yuugi or the owner of Industrial Illusions, one of the largest gaming companies in existence? He actually felt ill. He knew that they would say his motive had been the Kame Game Shop, whose sales had risen not insignificantly after Yuugi's win. It all hung together so well that for a long, frozen moment he couldn't see how he hadn't realized this was coming.

And Atemu… good god. There was a fair chance Atemu wouldn't believe a word of Vivian's drivel. Yuugi had already told him the truth, after all, and he was confident Atemu would believe him. However, that did little to comfort him when he considered the ramifications of the prince of Egypt befriending, much less dating, a known blackmailer and cheater. Their relationship would never withstand this kind of trial. And forget about being the Queen of Egypt. The decision would be taken out of Yuugi's hands entirely. If Atemu's father was so strict about tradition that he would force his only son into marriage, he could imagine the man's reaction to Yuugi being brought home all too easily.

All of that passed through Yuugi's mind in only a couple of seconds. Vivian had won, he realized, feeling numb. She'd won and Pegasus, someone Yuugi had thought long dealt with, had provided the very thing she needed to do it. "What do you want?" he asked dully.

"I think that you already know," she replied. "For one thing, I want you to stay away from Atemu. Don't communicate with him in any way. I've already prepared a file to go to the media with the footage from Pegasus and all I need to do to send it is press a button on my phone. If I find out you ever initiated contact with Atemu, or responded to any form of contact, I'll send it. And then everything you've worked for will be destroyed."

The thought of never seeing or speaking to Atemu again actually hurt. It was a sharp, physical pain that made Yuugi feel breathless. He pressed his lips together to keep them from trembling. "Is that all?"

Vivian smirked. "How well you know me. No, that would have been enough if you had listened to me in the first place. But since you couldn't leave it alone, you're going to help me get back into the Pharaoh's good graces and then while you go home with your tail tucked between your legs, I'm going to marry Atemu."

He recoiled. "I will _never_ help you with that!"

"Unless you want that press package sent out, you will," she said. "Think carefully, Yuugi-boy. Not only is your future at stake, but so is that of your grandfather and your friends. Don't forget, you're not the only one who is on that footage. I do have to wonder what that would do for Ryou's chances to ever return to medical school. Bad enough that his father got him kicked out the first time. He'd never be able to go back," she said cruelly, delighting in the way that Yuugi turned pale. "And poor Jou... I imagine he'd never get the opportunity to visit his sister ever again. And then there's Malik - "

"Stop!" Yuugi cried, throwing a hand up. He couldn't stand there and listen to her while she threatened his friends anymore. No matter how much the thought of never seeing Atemu hurt, he couldn't let her destroy their lives. He let his shoulders slump, his hatred of her renewed at her smirk and the annoying nickname that Pegasus had also probably passed onto her. "I'll... I'll come with you, okay?"

"Good. You've made the right choice." Vivian jerked her head and he looked over her shoulder, finally noticing the black car that had been idling a few feet away. "Drop your cell phone on the ground and let's go. Remember, don't try anything stupid."

Yuugi stared at her, jaw clenched, as he removed his phone from his pocket. Instead of dropping it he set it down gently, hoping against hope that someone would notice it. But then, even if they did, the chances of his phone actually getting back to anyone who would be helpful were slim to none. And even if by some small chance it did, what difference would it make? This was a situation that not even Atemu would be able to fix. No, this was a mess that Yuugi had created all on his own. He stepped over the phone and walked past Vivian, keenly aware that she was following right behind him as they walked towards the car. When he was about ten feet away, the door opened and a familiar man stepped out.

"Bandit Keith!" Yuugi exclaimed.

"That's right. Bet you thought you'd got rid of me, but Bandit Keith never lets anything keep him down," he bragged, straightening his bandana.

"Search him," Vivian commanded. "Make sure that he doesn't have anything that would alert the others of where we're going. Be thorough but don't take too long. We've already lingered far longer than we should." She got into the car while Bandit Keith performed a cursory, rough search, running his hands over Yuugi's lower waist and thighs while Yuugi tried not to cringe away too visibly. He was actually glad to climb in next to Vivian, but he was less relieved when Bandit Keith followed them, sitting across from Yuugi with a deliberately lascivious grin. Yuugi looked away, out the window, and bit his lip to keep from crying. He could see no way out of this hopeless situation and he was pretty sure that Atemu was going to suffer as a result.

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**A/N:** Just to give you all advance warning so no one freaks out, there will not be an update next week as I'm going to be too busy with the holidays. In that respect, Merry Christmas (or happy holidays), Happy New Year, and I'll see you all in 2013!


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed your holidays – I know I sure did! But now we're back on track, so enjoy.

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Ryou was half-asleep, his book in danger of sliding out of his hands entirely, when he heard the distant, slightly muffled sound of his phone ringing. It took a minute for the sound to fully permeate his doze and only when it grew loud enough that it was impossible to ignore did he open his eyes and see that Bakura had fetched his phone from his backpack and was now dangling it in front of his face, close enough for him to be able to see that the caller was Mazaki Anzu. He groaned audibly and rubbed his eyes, tempted to just ignore the call but knowing that Anzu would call back until he picked up. She was determined that way.

"Who is it?" Bakura asked, looking amused.

"Someone very annoying," Ryou mumbled, rubbing his eyes and glancing around as the phone went quiet for all of five seconds before it lit up again, the sound even louder that time if possible. Malik and Mariku were sitting a few feet away from the blanket, building a sand castle, though Mariku was spending more time watching the passing crowds than focusing on the part of the castle he was making. Atemu was sleeping. Seto was watching the crowds, too, and Jou, surprisingly, had curled up into a ball with his head in Seto's lap. He was asleep too, or at least he had his eyes shut, probably because he wanted to avoid any comments as much as it was because he was tired. Out of respect for those lucky enough to still be sleeping, Ryou finally took the phone.

"Ryou-kun!" Anzu burst out the second that the ringing stopped, too quickly for Ryou to even be able to say a greeting. "Oh thank god someone _finally_ picked up. I called Jou's phone at least six times but he didn't pick up and I was starting to think that you wouldn't either and Malik doesn't like me so he probably wouldn't answer either and – "

"Whoa, slow down!" Ryou said. "Jou is sleeping and Malik is away from his phone right now. Why are you calling us, anyway? Why aren't you talking to Yuugi?" It wasn't as though they didn't know Anzu, but she had always been much closer to Yuugi than anyone else. Ryou and Jou were friends with her but they weren't close by any means of the word, and Malik and Anzu had never gotten along. He realized, suddenly, that Anzu calling him meant that for whatever reason she couldn't get into contact with Yuugi. His head snapped up and he looked around for Yuugi but there was no sign of him, though his backpack was still on the blanket where he had left it.

And just as Ryou came to that realization, Anzu said, "That's what I'm calling you about! I was talking to Yuugi. I told him that some girl had called me pretending to be a reporter. She was asking me all kinds of questions about Yuugi's past. I answered some of them before it dawned on me that it sounded like she was being too nosey. I hung up on her and called Yuugi. He sounded really weird, Ryou. He hung up on me and when I tried to call back there was no answer. I'm scared." She sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Her voice was breaking with every second word she spoke.

"Oh god," Ryou said under his breath. He could feel his heart beginning to pound. Bakura had given up watching the people passing by and was now focused on him, and he'd even attracted Seto's attention. "Thanks for calling, Anzu. Listen, we're going to try to track him down and I'll… I'll let you know." He could hear Anzu starting to say something but he cut the call before she could finish. He looked up at Bakura and licked his lips. "That was Anzu, an old friend of ours. She said Vivian called her asking questions about Yuugi and his past, and when she called Yuugi to talk to him about it he was acting really weird. And I don't know where Yuugi went."

In perfect unison Bakura and Seto both looked around for Yuugi. Seto's jaw visibly tightened when he realized that Yuugi was gone, though he maintained his composure as he said, "Ryou, call Yuugi. Now."

His fingers were shaking as he dialed the familiar number. Ryou held it to his ear, hoping against hope that Yuugi would pick up, and was crushed when it rang through to voicemail. He called back a second and third time but there was no answer, and for Yuugi that was rare. He almost always answered a call from Ryou, Malik and Jou, so the fact that he wasn't meant that something was really wrong. He turned to Seto. "There's no answer," he squeaked, his voice rising alarmingly. Malik and Mariku both turned to look at him. "He's not picking up."

"Shit," Seto muttered. He looked at Atemu, who was still sleeping, and then said, "Alright. Mariku, you take Malik and go left. Jou and I will go right. Bakura, you and Ryou stay here. Do_ not_ let Atemu wander off if he wakes up." He woke Jou with a hand to the blonds' shoulder, and to his credit as soon as Jou realized the seriousness of the situation the two of them were up and off, disappearing amongst the crowds. Malik and Mariku were already gone, their sand castle abandoned.

Ryou stared down at his phone and felt like crying. He honestly couldn't remember when Yuugi had left or why and now he wished that he had been paying more attention. He looked down at the book, which had fallen to the blanket, and would have gladly picked it up and tossed it away if it weren't for the fact that he thought it would wake Atemu. "I should have seen this coming," he said in a low tone. "Yuugi is like a magnet for trouble."

"It's not your fault," said Bakura. His arm was still around Ryou's waist and he tightened it, giving Ryou a gentle squeeze. "The blame lies solely with Vivian, even if Yuugi should have known better than to leave the group."

"He probably did it on purpose," Ryou said bitterly, knowing as he spoke that it was the truth. "Yuugi would do… _anything_ to make sure that the rest of us came out of this alright. He'll do anything for his friends. And knowing how much he loves Atemu…" He had to stop because the words that wanted to come out were just plain frightening. Yuugi was extremely loyal but he was also very naïve and when it came to someone like Vivian that could be a dangerous combination.

"Look, let's not panic. We'll wait until the others get back and hear what they have to say," Bakura said, and even though he must have been feeling at least a little bit of alarm he sounded so calm that Ryou couldn't help believing that everything would be fine. He sank down against Bakura and huddled against him, placing his head on Bakura's shoulder. He was hoping that Atemu would keep on sleeping but that would have been just too easy; not ten minutes after Malik, Mariku, Seto and Jou left the blanket, Atemu stirred at the sounds of some kids playing a game of volleyball and opened his eyes, squinting when the brilliance of the sun struck him full force.

"Oh, I fell asleep," he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. He sat up and shook his head, sending a fine spray of sand everywhere. He looked around, noticing the absence of their friends, and then frowned at Bakura and Ryou. His sleepy gaze sharpened when he realized the tangible tension that was hanging in the air. "Bakura? Ryou, what's wrong? Has something happened?"

"We'll tell you, but only if you promise to be intelligent about this," said Bakura. "And by intelligent, I mean you won't do anything monumentally stupid."

"Bakura." Crimson eyes narrowed and Atemu drew himself up. Though he wasn't very tall, was actually shorter than Bakura and about the same height as Ryou, his presence was extremely intimidating. Ryou tried not to shrink back. "Tell me what's going on."

"Yuugi's missing," Ryou blurted out before Bakura could stop him. Bakura groaned and Ryou turned to him. "I'm sorry, okay? Really, I am, but this is - he deserves to know, Bakura, and you can't keep it from him forever." He looked back at Atemu and quickly explained the odd phone call he'd gotten from Anzu. "The others have gone off to search," he finished. "I tried calling Yuugi's phone but there was no answer. We don't know where he is."

"Vivian," Atemu breathed, speaking the worst possible conclusion out loud.

"Probably, but you can't be stupid about this." Bakura reached out and gripped the prince's hand, stopping Atemu when he would have jumped up. "She's expecting you to come charging after him, Atemu. You have to be smart about this and not give her exactly what she wants. You'll just cause extra trouble for both you and the midget that way. Just stay here until Seto and Mariku come back, okay?" He waited, watching Atemu's face closely, and didn't let go until Atemu gave him a reluctant nod.

The next several minutes were like torture. Atemu couldn't seem to sit still. He got to his feet and paced back and forth, and even though it caused a few people to glance curiously in their direction Bakura didn't protest, seemingly realizing that asking Atemu to remain seated was a feat not even the prince would have been able to perform. Ryou felt every bit as nervous but he remained sitting and every minute called Yuugi's phone, hoping that this would be the time that Yuugi would chose to pick up. His hopes fell that much lower with every endless ring. By the time that Jou returned, flushed and panting, they were all practically ready to jump him.

"Well?" Atemu exclaimed. "What did you find?"

If Jou minded the imperious tone, he didn't let on. "Seto and I went as far as the parking lot," he reported, straightening up and dusting off his trunks. "We found Yuugi's phone there on the pavement. The last call on it was from Anzu, just like she said. Seto sent me back here to get you guys and Malik and Mariku. He said he was going to keep looking but I don't think he's going to find anything else. The trail just disappeared."

"You mean you think Yuugi got into the car with her," said Ryou. To his horror, it did sound exactly like something that Yuugi would do.

Jou nodded. "That's what we're guessing. I tried calling Malik but I think his phone is in his bag. Can someone call Mariku and tell them to come back to the blanket?"

"I'll do it," Bakura said. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and put it to his ear. He spoke into it for only a moment before he hung up, and a couple of minutes of tense silence later Malik and Mariku were pushing their way out of the crowd. The five of them exchanged grim looks before, without saying a word, they started to make their way back to the parking lot. Seto was waiting there for them, Yuugi's phone in his right hand and his own phone in his left.

"I've already called the airports," he said. "But there's a good chance Vivian is going to be flying by her private plane, and if that's the case I'm not sure we're going to catch her in time."

"How do you know where they're going?" Malik asked.

"We don't, but there's a good chance she's going to head for Egypt," Atemu said quietly. "Vivian hasn't been back there since I originally asked her to leave. She told me at the time that she would be back, that one day we would get married there beneath the eyes of our gods, but I didn't believe her at the time. I didn't think – I should have realized that she wouldn't want this to end here in Japan." He swallowed. "When I left I told my father I would not return until I had found my Queen. Vivian must have heard me say that – she has servants in the palace who are still loyal to her. Taking Yuugi is the only way to make sure that I would follow."

"Good lord," Ryou whispered under his breath. He'd known that Vivian was dangerous, that she had lost what little mind she had possessed in the first place, but he hadn't thought that she was_ this _bad. He glanced at Malik and then at Jou, knowing what the two of them were thinking. Atemu, Seth, Mariku and Bakura would be heading back to Egypt immediately. There was no doubt in his mind that they would be going along and he said as much. "We're going with you."

To his credit, Atemu didn't try to pretend that he wasn't sure what Ryou was talking about. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking at each of them in turn. His expression was serious. "It might be a while before we come back. Vivian still has enough contacts in Egypt that it could take some time for us to find her and Yuugi. I'm not sure she's going to challenge my father right away and I don't want to make it seem like you have to come. Even if you don't, I promise you that I will do everything in my power to find Yuugi and return him to you as soon as possible."

Ryou looked at him and smiled, suddenly nearly overwhelmed with sympathy for Atemu. He'd never put much thought into it before, but he would have guessed that being a prince wasn't easy and now he had proof that his guess would have been entirely correct. There was nothing about this situation that was fair and he had no intention of standing idly by and waiting for something to happen. He wanted to be there, not just to find Yuugi and make sure that he was okay, not just to see Vivian get her comeuppance, not even just to be with Bakura, but because he wanted to help support Atemu, someone who was quickly becoming one of his closest friends. He stepped closer and took Atemu's hand, giving it an instinctive squeeze.

"I know," he said as gently as possible, feeling his own tension beginning to drain away now that he had someone else to worry about and look after. Malik had once told him he was perfectly suited to be a doctor for that reason and Ryou hadn't really been able to argue. "We trust you, Atemu. But I think you can need as much support against Vivian as you can get. If there is room, the three of us would really appreciate it if we could come."

"Yeah," said Jou. "I've never been to Egypt before so I can't say how much of a help that I'll be, but I'm willing to do anything to help out a friend. At the very least we can keep you out of Vivian's clutches." He grinned and clapped Atemu on the shoulder.

Malik nodded, though he didn't say anything. Ryou shot him a worried look, wondering how Malik was taking this. He'd always been vocal about the fact that he didn't really want to go back to Egypt. Of course, since meeting Mariku he had started re-thinking that decision, but it still had to be a difficult choice to make. He resolved to keep a closer eye on Malik, especially once they actually got there. It wouldn't do to have one of the clan members see him and cause a scene. That wouldn't be fair to Malik. He felt a little better when Mariku stepped closer to Malik and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Thank you," Atemu said, drawing Ryou's attention back to him. He looked a bit stunned by the unexpected show of support. "I... Seto?"

"I'll get the plane ready," said Seto simply, already holding his phone up to his ear.

"I can't believe this," Jou muttered. He was trying to be serious but Ryou could tell he was bubbling over with excitement. He'd never been out of the country before. This was a big deal to him.

"Why don't you call Shizuka?" Ryou suggested, knowing that it would give Jou the chance to work off a little energy. He was pretty sure that they would be leaving within a couple of hours and he didn't want to be locked up on a plane with Jou if the blond was wound up. "Malik and I will go back to the hotel and pack some of our things together. I'll have to see if I can find my passport." He frowned, wondering if he'd thought to bring it along. He couldn't remember.

"It doesn't matter, Seto can fix things," Bakura said. "Mariku and Atemu and I will go back with you."

They left Jou and Seto in the parking lot and returned to the car. Bakura got into the driver's seat. Ryou sat next to him with Malik, Mariku and Atemu in the back. He was initially nervous but surprisingly Bakura proved to be a skilled driver, obeying the laws of the road, even the speed limits. Possibly he realized that this really wasn't the time for him to be wild, Ryou wasn't sure. He was surprised when Bakura reached over the console and took his hand, intertwining their fingers out of the sight of the others. He glanced over and Bakura winked at him, and oddly enough that was soothing, knowing that Bakura thought that things would be alright. He just hoped that would turn out to be true.

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Please review!


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! Yes, I meant for this just to be a little porn story but Vivian went and actioned it all up. That girl, I swear. Enjoy!

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Within about four hours, they were at the airport and boarding a private jet bound for Egypt. Malik was impressed though he tried to keep it hidden, not wanting to make it too obvious to anyone who might have been watching (i.e. Mariku, who had been watching him like a hawk ever since the decision had been made for them to return to Egypt). He could remember how long it had taken for him and Isis to get clearance to_ leave_ Egypt in the first place. There had been days when he'd been convinced that they would never be allowed to go. It all just proved that money and influence had the power to talk, and of course owning a private jet helped.

He sat down in his seat beside one of the windows and glanced around. The inside of the jet was fairly luxurious, with seats that were far more comfortable than those on the average plane. There was a sofa and even a bed tucked into one corner, with a curtain that could be pulled around it for privacy's sake. Apparently this was how the rich lived. It was pretty nice. He strapped himself in and looked out the window. He hadn't told Isis where he was going or how, mostly because he wasn't sure how she would respond. He didn't even know if he wanted to go back to Egypt and her questions weren't something that he felt capable of handling, not when it was already taking every measure of determination he had to not demand that he be let off.

Someone sat down beside him. It didn't take a genius to guess who it was, not when less than a second later a hand covered his, fingers intertwining and pulling tight to prevent him from letting go. Hot breath wafted over his ear and then a familiar voice murmured, "What's the matter? Aren't you pleased to be going back?"

"You know that I'm not," Malik said, closing his eyes, though he didn't try to pull his hand away. "It's not that I'm opposed to going to help Yuugi and Atemu." And god, there was something he had never thought that he would say: him helping the prince! What a joke. "I mean, I knew that you guys would be going back to Egypt once the conditions of the show had been filled, and that I would have to decide whether or not I wanted to go with you. I just… I guess I thought I would have more time to make my decision. I wasn't expecting that it would happen so suddenly, that's all."

"It will be alright, Malik," Mariku said and his voice was, for once, completely serious. "You know that I would never let anything happen to you, and neither would Atemu. If his father tries to give you any problems, Atemu will take care of it. You're coming as his guest."

"Yeah, I know." But it was still comforting to hear, he had to admit. He had been trying not to think about meeting the pharaoh for the first time. He'd spent a good portion of his childhood being told that the man was a horrible person, after all. He and Isis had left Egypt rather than risk coming to the pharaoh's attention. Knowing that he had the protection of the prince and his bodyguards was definitely soothing. He opened his eyes and turned to look at Mariku, who was so close that their noses bumped together. Malik pulled back, startled, and Mariku chuckled in amusement.

"He won't even know who you are," he promised. "It likely won't come up while we're there, so don't worry about it. You're mine now, after all." He was smirking and Malik flushed, unable to think about how he might respond to that. Mariku seemed to find that funny because he grinned. "Focus instead on how you're going to help us find Yuugi and take Vivian down."

Malik paused briefly, allowing his mind to wander, and then smirked. "You're right. Imagining how the four of you are going to take her apart_ is_ cheering me up." He knew that there would be little mercy for Vivian now, and she had best hope that they caught up to her in a public place with a lot of witnesses because Mariku and Bakura were a little too eager to show her their own special brand of justice. And at this rate Atemu, Seto and Ryou weren't going to be all that inclined to hold them back, and if she harmed so much as a hair on Yuugi's head neither would Jou or Malik. He twisted his hand into a more comfortable position and leaned against Mariku, resting his head on the man's shoulder.

"Oh, it should. Bakura and I can be very inventive when we want to be," Mariku said. There was a wicked light in his dark eyes that was not at _all _comforting, a far cry from the act he had been putting on a couple of minutes ago. He was about to say something else but a ringing sound stopped him. Malik swallowed hard, knowing even before he reached for his phone that it would be his sister. Sure enough, the screen was lit up with Isis's name.

"I guess I should answer that," he said.

"Well, technically you're not supposed to be using your phone yet," Mariku pointed out. It was a good excuse but they were now up in the air, and Malik wanted to get it over with. He squeezed Mariku's hand and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Malik!" Isis's voice came through loud and clear. "I sent you a text message this morning but you didn't respond. Is there something wrong?"

"You did?" Malik hadn't even noticed that he'd gotten a message from her and he cursed himself inwardly for the oversight. Isis had the tendency to panic when she tried to contact him and he didn't answer in what she considered to be a reasonable amount of time. "I'm sorry, Nee-chan. We had a bit of excitement here this morning and I must not have heard my phone when it went off. If I'd noticed, I would have called you back."

"It's fine. What sort of excitement?" she asked, for once letting the matter go instantly. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful for the reprieve or not.

"Well… Do you remember how I was telling you about Atemu and his girlfriend?" He'd given Isis a brief rundown of the events, including "Yami's" real identity. She had been surprised and she'd actually wanted him to come back home, but there had been no chance of that happening and he'd worn her down pretty quickly.

"Yes, of course."

"That girlfriend has gone nuts," he said flatly. "She's totally bent on becoming the queen of Egypt. She kidnapped Yuugi this morning and we think that she is taking him to Egypt as a way to get Atemu back there."

"Oh my!" Isis gasped, sounding shocked. She was silent for almost a full minute after that, only the sound of her breathing coming across the line, and Malik squirmed. He could practically hear Isis putting two and two together. His sister was an intelligent woman and it wouldn't take much for her to come up with four. Sure enough, Isis said slowly in a tone that he was far too familiar with, "Malik… Please tell me that you are not on a plane headed to Egypt right now."

"Um," Malik said weakly because really, he couldn't say that. "Isis, I _had_ to come. It's Yuugi. He's one of my best friends."

"I know that, but you're taking a terrible chance, Malik. Couldn't you have left this up to the others?" Isis said and now she sounded tired, which wasn't unusual when it came to their conversations but still made Malik's stomach cramp uncomfortably. "Or at the very least, you could have given me more warning. What about the show? You guys all signed contracts saying that you agreed to be filmed for a certain amount of episodes and I doubt that you have fulfilled those conditions. Am I going to get an angry phone call from someone who is trying to sue us because you decided to run off on a whim?" She was beginning to sound angry and in spite of himself Malik responded in kind.

"This was not just a whim, Nee-chan!" he snapped, fighting to keep his voice low enough that he wouldn't draw the attention of anyone else. Mariku was already staring at him in wide eyed fascination, shamelessly listening to every word. "I told you that my friends needed me and I'm not going to back down just because that means going back to a place I didn't really want to go. If I can do something to help I'm going to do it. And as for the show, I have no idea what Seto told them but I assume he and Atemu took care of it. If they didn't, then I'll deal with it when we come back and Yuugi is safe. Now if you don't mind, I have to go. I'll call you when we get there." He hung up before his sputtering sister could say anything else.

"You have a lot of fire in you, kitten," Mariku said and now the light in his eyes was because of something else entirely. He untangled their fingers and reached down, pointedly sliding a hand down Malik's inner thigh. "You know, this plane happens to have a bed and we've got some time to kill."

"You have got to be joking," Malik said.

It only took Mariku a couple more minutes to coax Malik onto said bed, where, with the curtains shut, he proved that he was not joking at all.

**YY**

Jou tried hard not to make a face as the curtains around the bed swung closed, but that was easier said than done. He couldn't believe that Malik and Mariku were actually about to have sex on the plane with the rest of them sitting not three feet away! Well, okay, actually he could believe it because it was exactly the sort of twisted thing the two of them would be into, but still. He shook his head in exasperation and turned back to the magazine he'd found. Even though it was a popular gaming issue that he hadn't read yet, he found his focus drifting away from the glossy pages. It was hard to concentrate on games of any kind when they all made him think of Yuugi.

He sighed and fidgeted, wondering how Yuugi was doing, if he was alright or frightened or maybe even hurt, god forbid. The problem with Yuugi was that he was just too nice. It was a discussion/fight that they'd had before, when they were younger and Yuugi and Ryou used to be the target for several bullies. He and Malik had tried to teach the two of them how to protect themselves, but both boys had always refused. Yuugi always believed that all people were inherently good and insisted that violence was never the answer. Maybe in a normal situation that was true, but Jou would have been feeling a hell of a lot better right then if he knew that Yuugi knew how to throw a good right hook. It would've been_ something_ at least.

He squirmed again and looked around the plane, pointedly ignoring the sounds coming from the curtained off area. Ryou was sleeping. Bakura was staring off into space - no, he was watching the front of the plane, more specifically the pilot's area. Atemu was looking out the window, and, even though it was obvious he wasn't really paying any attention to the clouds that they were flying through, Jou didn't think he would enjoy having any company. He wondered if Ryou would allow him to borrow his phone so that he could contact Shizuka. Would it be worth suffering through his friend's surliness from being woken up too early from his nap?

"Would you stop moving around so much?"

"Why, am I annoying you?" Jou asked, finally turning to look at the last occupant of the plane. Seto was sitting right beside him, but up until that moment he'd been deeply involved in the laptop computer that he had opened up on his knees. Now he was frowning at Jou, his face lit oddly by the screen's light.

"Yes, you are," Seto said without a hint of apology, frowning. "It's making it difficult to concentrate. So either move to a different spot or be still."

It was on the tip of Jou's tongue to say 'you can't tell me what to do' but he bit it back at the last second. The comment would've just started a fight between the two of them and it wasn't fair to take his boredom out on Seto, not when the man was doing what he could to help Yuugi. Jou settled for looking at the screen. "What is it that you're doing, anyway?"

Seto eyed him for a moment longer before apparently deciding that his curiosity was genuine. "I've been catching up with some matters that pertain to Kaiba Corp," he responded at last. "Some of my business associates have connections that we may be able to use to find Vivian faster. I've also been monitoring messages from my lawyers. They've been in contact with the show about our contracts. In addition, I e-mailed my brother to let him know we were returning home."

Jou wasn't even listening anymore. His mind had gotten caught on a very key part of what Seto had just said, namely that lawyers were getting involved with the contracts. Somehow, in the rush of excitement over going to Egypt to rescue Yuugi he hadn't even thought about the fact that he had just broken a contract. The contract that had clearly dictated that none of them were allowed to leave until a specific amount of footage had been obtained, written out in hours that he knew for a fact they hadn't fulfilled, and that detailed the legal penalties they would face for leaving early.

God. He suddenly felt really sick, to the point where he thought he might have to make use of the bathroom located at the back of the back of the plane. There was no way he would be able to afford a legal fee for a lawyer, much less anything else. Why hadn't he thought about that earlier? But then, it wasn't like it would've done him much good to hang around. They wouldn't have wanted footage of him without Yuugi and Atemu anyway. He wondered briefly if it would help to write a letter pleading his case, decided that it wouldn't, and got up to investigate the food situation.

He could feel eyes on his back watching as he moved across the plane but he didn't care; it was easy for a man like Seto, who probably had millions of dollars locked up in his bank account. Jou couldn't even imagine having that much money. He ground his teeth as he poked through the cabinet and finally decided on a large packet of mixed nuts and a can of cola. He slumped back to his seat beside Seto and ripped into the bag, shoveling a handful of nuts into his mouth. His stomach rebelled but he grimly chewed and swallowed anyway.

"You know," said Seto and now he wasn't typing, his frantic pace having temporarily ceased, "you don't have to eat those if you're not really hungry. It's not a requirement for a plane ride."

"Listen, moneybags, I _have _been on a plane before," Jou snapped, stung. "I know it's not a requirement. I'm hungry, okay?"

For a moment Seto went silent and Jou congratulated himself because it probably wasn't very often that someone managed to stun the man into speechlessness. Sadly it didn't last long. Seto reached out and grabbed the bag, squeezing it shut and preventing Jou from getting his hand back inside. He leaned over and said, "Look, I realize that you're probably concerned about your friend, but this plane cost a lot of money. I have no interest in paying to have it cleaned when you get sick." He paused momentarily and then added, "As it is, the fees for the eight of us breaking our contracts will be substantial and I really don't want to add this on top of it."

Jou stopped chewing as he processed this. Seto was going to pay it? For all of them? That wasn't right. "You don't have to - "

"Spare me." He finally let go and turned back to his computer. "Atemu will insist once he finds out, anyway. It's Vivian's fault we had to go so it makes sense for us to take care of it. If you want to argue with someone, take it up with him."

Instinctively Jou glanced over towards Atemu again before he swallowed and wiped his hand on his jeans. The thought of arguing with Atemu wasn't all that appealing and besides, it wasn't like actually Jou had the money to pay. And Seto had dealt with the cameramen at the beach pretty easily, silencing their complaints over Atemu's and Yuugi's abrupt departures with a cold look and a sharply uttered "get out of my way" that had sent them scattering, allowing him and Jou to leave the men behind without any further fuss. Maybe it was best to let them deal with it no matter how much it hurt his pride.

"Thanks," he said quietly at last, head turned stubbornly towards the floor, and Seto's typing paused briefly in acknowledgement before resuming.

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Please review!


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** For everyone who was disappointed about the lack of Yuugi in the last chapter, here you go!

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Their arrival in Egypt was surprisingly subdued, although to be honest Yuugi wasn't really sure what he had been expecting. Bandit Keith took him off of the plane and he was immediately bundled straight into a car, which took off on a long drive to what appeared to be a safehouse of some kind. The only other occupants were a young woman and man who were apparently acting as the caretakers in Vivian's absence. He hadn't gotten the chance to speak to either one of them and frankly he had no idea if it would even help. From what he could tell, Vivian had deep pockets and she was willing to put out a good deal of money for anyone who would help her.

He stared out the window of what had become "his bedroom", considering the fact that he had been shut in for two long, boring days. The only thing he could see was what appeared to be office buildings bordered by a thin strip of sand. He had tried calling for help with no luck, and finally he had been forced to conclude that either no one could hear him or no one cared. It was hard to say which would be worse, but he was inclined to think it was the former since he hadn't seen a single other person since he had arrived.

"This place would be enough to drive a saint crazy," he said out loud. The sound of his voice was almost startling after two steady days of silence. He sighed and banged his head gently against the wall, craving human contact with anyone who didn't want to do him harm. He missed the game shop and his grandfather. He missed his friends. He missed _Atemu_. God, what he wouldn't have given to have seen the prince walk through the door at that moment.

Almost as if in response to that thought he heard footsteps out in the hall, but the sound only proved to bring him dread. The steps were much too heavy to belong to Atemu or his friends, and sure enough when the door swung open it was Bandit Keith. He was holding a gun (and did he ever want to see Vivian, if only to ask her what the hell she had been thinking by giving Bandit Keith, of all people, a weapon) and wearing a cocky smirk. He ambled into the room and looked around importantly, searching for any signs that Yuugi had been trying to escape, though of course there were none. Yuugi wasn't stupid enough to leave behind that sort of evidence.

"I heard weird sounds and thought I should come check it out," he said with a sneer, kicking the door shut behind him. "You weren't trying to leave, were you?"

"No," Yuugi said honestly, staying exactly where he was. He didn't know much about guns but he did know that it was probably an extremely idiotic move to be waving it around so casually. He did not want to be close to Bandit Keith if that thing accidentally discharged.

"That's good, because there's no way out," Bandit Keith said, though he looked a little disappointed that Yuugi was actually obeying the rules. Probably he had been hoping for the opportunity to dish out a little discipline. Yuugi shuddered at the thought, eyeing him warily and wishing that the room were large enough for him to get further away.

"I know that," he replied, wanting to add something pointed like 'so obviously there's no reason for you to be in here'. Instead, he turned back to look out the window again, even though his stomach tightened at the thought of turning his back to Bandit Keith. "I _am_ bored, though. Is Vivian planning to make her move any time soon or is her ultimate plan to get me out of the way by leaving me locked up here?" He was trying to make it sound like a joke, but he realized that he could not keep the faint undercurrent of concern out of the ears of someone who was listening for it. Fortunately Bandit Keith was about as sensitive as a block of wood.

"I haven't got a clue, and even if I did know I sure as fuck wouldn't tell you about it. You're not here as a guest, remember, but for your sake you better hope that Vivian never loses interest in having you around. I got a lot of humiliation to pay you back for."

At that, Yuugi couldn't resist looking over his shoulder. Bandit Keith smirked, licked his lips, and backed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The silence settled thickly, broken only by the sound of retreating footsteps, and Yuugi had to bite down on his lip to hold back the rising tears that threatened to break free. Bandit Keith had been making threats like that every couple of hours since they'd gotten to the house. He wasn't sure what exactly the man had in mind but he knew he did not want to find out.

With renewed determination, he looked back down at the window. It had been painted shut but he'd slowly been chipping away at the paint with his nails. His progress was slow and he'd already broken a couple of his nails in the process. He didn't know if he was going to be able to escape before Vivian came back from wherever she'd gone, but he was going to do his best. He crouched down to put himself on level with the sill and began scraping again. He was so focused that he didn't even hear the door opening until it was too late, and the hand that fell on his shoulder startled him badly.

"Ow!" he cried out, wincing as a splinter was driven deeply into the flesh of his thumb. He whirled around and tried to stand up at the same time and nearly toppled over as a result.

The woman standing in front of him giggled softly. She was a petite thing, barely taller than Yuugi, with lavender-colored hair bound up by a huge yellow ribbon. Her uniform consisted of a starched black dress and a white apron that didn't look very comfortable, considering the heat. She was smiling, though, and her dark grey eyes were kind. Much to his surprise, when she spoke, it was in flawless Japanese. "Hello. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I should have said something sooner, but I didn't want to risk drawing the attention of that awful man downstairs."

"It's okay," Yuugi said awkwardly.

Her eyes fell on his hand and she frowned. "Oh, you've hurt yourself. Here, let me." And she took him gently by the wrist and led him into the bathroom. There was a small first aid kit hidden behind the bathroom mirror, she revealed, and she took it down and then knelt to get a better look at his finger. "I've been meaning to come up and see you for a while now, but Honda - that's my husband - kept telling me that it was none of my business. He says I'm a terrible snoop and that I shouldn't do anything the Wong family wouldn't want me to do. I say there's nothing fun in that." Her smile was quick and mischievous as she gently grasped the end of the splinter with a pair of tweezers and pulled it out.

"It's nice to meet you," Yuugi said lamely, biting his lip. The removal of the splinter didn't hurt, but it felt like it had been ages since anyone had touched him in a kind way. It was almost overwhelming. "My name is Mutou Yuugi."

"Lovely to meet you, Yuugi, my name is Miho." She sat back on her heels and set the tweezers aside. "Do I dare ask how you've upset Miss Wong to the point where she had you locked up?"

"Stupidity," Yuugi replied, because honestly that was the bare bones of the matter. He knew it had been a mistake to leave the blanket where the others were. As much as he didn't want to admit it to himself, he'd done it on purpose, hoping to get Vivian to challenge him away from the others, hoping that somehow she might be able to escape whatever Bakura and Mariku had planned for her. And now this was where he had ended up in exchange for his kindness. He wouldn't be making the same mistake a second time.

Miho's expression softened. "I'm sure that's not the case," she said kindly. "Are you in trouble, Yuugi? Do you need help?"

He thought about it. Miho was a stranger to him, but she was also the first person who had treated him as more than an object since he had ended up here. She might have even been a spy for Vivian. But what did he have to lose by trusting her? It wasn't like Vivian could really do all that much worse than what she already had. "Yes, I am. I don't know how loyal you are to Vivian, but she's gone crazy. She kidnapped me from Japan and said that she was going to force me to help her become the Queen of Egypt!" Suddenly desperate, he gripped Miho's hands, imploring her to understand the seriousness of the situation. "I'm not sure what her plans are, but I know they don't bode well. Please, you have to help me."

"Alright, shh, calm down before you catch someone's attention," she cautioned, glancing over her shoulder at the door. When she looked back, her lips were pressed into a thin line. "I thought it might be something like this, but Honda told me I was being silly. I've always wondered about the Wong family. Well, I mean you hear rumors, but you never stop to think that there might be any truth to them. But Miss Wong was involved in that dreadful scandal…" She sighed.

"Scandal? You mean the one where Atemu refused to marry her?" Yuugi asked.

"Well yes, but there have been other ones, too. Worse ones," said Miho. "Oh, but I shouldn't gossip." She didn't sound very convinced, though, and with a little urging Yuugi was able to get her to continue. "There was a young man back in China," she confided in a low voice as she began wrapping a little bandage around Yuugi's finger. "He was so handsome and quite well off, too. He was set to become a lawyer, and for what it's worth I think that Miss Wong was actually interested in him. She might have married him, too, if it hadn't been for that business associate of her father's."

"A business associate?" he repeated, flexing his finger. The sting had faded under the application of some gel and now it felt a lot better. _Yuugi _felt better just because he'd had some company that was not looking to be violent towards him in any way.

"That's right. Master Wong is a very important man over there, you see, and he's got a lot of important contacts. Older men who would quite enjoy having a younger woman on their arms and Miss Wong, well, she's quite attractive isn't she? She got a taste of that life and I think she would have stayed there comfortably, but she didn't get the chance. That man's wife, and I'll not give you any names, she found out about Miss Wong and put a stop to that right away. She told the young man about what Miss Wong had been up to. Before you could blink Miss Wong found herself alone and without any suitors at all, just loads of rumors.

"Now she's got relatives here in Egypt, and that's why she came here in there first place, hoping to get away from her old reputation. None of us were expecting that she would set her sights as high as she did, but…" Miho's shoulders rose and fell as she sighed.

"So you are working for Vivian's family, then," Yuugi said.

"Yup. Honda and I are originally from Japan, like you," she said with a smile. "I had a job working at a hotel and that's how I met Mrs Wong, Vivian's aunt. She's a lovely woman and when she offered us a job here, keeping the house up while she and her husband were travelling, I couldn't say no. Of course, it's not been quite as much as fun since Miss Wong arrived." She made a face.

"You said she set her sights high. You mean Atemu."

"The poor thing didn't know what was coming. For a while there I thought that Miss Wong might remain faithful to him, she wanted it that much, but I guess her true nature couldn't be denied. Now I'm not from Egypt but I still had half a mind to go up there to the palace and warn him. I didn't because Honda told me not to meddle, and fortunately someone else found out about her and told the prince the truth before the two of them were married." This time her grin was quick and satisfied with a peculiar gleam that made Yuugi wonder if she'd had more of a hand in bringing the truth to light than she was letting on.

"After they broke up, Atemu told her to leave," he said slowly. "But she's come back now and she's really angry."

"Yes, that doesn't surprise me. Miss Wong does not take kindly to having her plans disrupted. Takes after her father in that respect, according to what Master Wong told me." Miho put the kit back together and stood up to wash her hands. "Anyway, Yuugi, the point of me telling you this is to let you know that if you need help, I'm willing to try. I like my job and I'd like to keep working here, but I can't stand by and let them keep you in here like you're an animal. It's wrong."

"Thank you," Yuugi breathed as a rush of relief so heady that it made him feel dizzy flooded through him. "Can you get me out of here?" If he could just find a way out, he knew that he would be able to get into contact with his friends. Someone would be able to guide him to the airport and surely Seto or Atemu could pull some strings so that he could get home, even without a passport?

"I'll try, but I'm afraid you're going to have to sit tight a little while longer," she said, though not without sympathy. "I won't do anything without Honda's agreement. Tonight, after everyone else has gone to bed, I will talk to him. If he agrees then we'll think of something, okay?"

Yuugi nodded, even though the thought of staying where he was for even another minute was horrifying. But he knew that he was exceedingly fortunate that Miho was even willing to help, considering that she could have just ignored his plight. He wouldn't have blamed her if she had. "Be careful," he said. "There are a lot of dangerous people in this house. I know that they probably wouldn't hesitate to hurt you if they found out that you were trying to help me."

For a moment he thought that Miho would treat his warning like it was a joke, but she didn't. Her expression was very serious when she squeezed his hand. "I will be careful," she promised him. "At the very least... can I contact your friends for you?"

Yuugi's heart tightened painfully. "Oh god, yes please," he said quickly. He knew that Ryou, Malik and Jou had to be going crazy by that point, and Atemu probably wasn't much better off. He really wanted Miho to be able to contact them, but that didn't sound like a safe idea. What if the charges showed up on a bill? Or someone heard her talking to them? It was likely that Vivian already knew Yuugi would be trying to escape. Would she suspect the servants to help Yuugi? Or would she think that they were unfailingly loyal to her?

Miho must have known what was going through his mind. "It's alright. Every Saturday Honda and I go into town to do the shopping. We'll be able to talk to your friends freely," she explained. She rummaged around in the pockets of her dress until she produced a pen, which she handed to Yuugi. "Go ahead, write down the phone number. I won't call unless I'm absolutely certain that I'm able to do it without being heard."

He needed no more prompting. He took the pen and wrote Atemu's phone number down on her outstretched palm, making the numbers as clear as he possibly could. Miho gave him another smile and took her pen back as she stood up. She bowed slightly and then walked out, and Yuugi felt like his last hopes were going with her. He waited, frozen in place, until he heard the sound of the door being shut and the lock slipped back into place before he let his head sink into his hands. What had he been thinking? He'd just been offered a prime opportunity to escape. Miho didn't look very strong for all that she was taller than him; Yuugi was fairly certain that he would've been able to take her without too much of a problem. He could've easily knocked her down or out and been out the door before she woke up. No one would have noticed for a few hours, most likely.

But he hadn't. The reminder of Miho's kindness, something she had offered freely and not because she had to, was too fresh. He felt a lump rise in his throat as he gazed down at the bandage that had been so carefully placed upon his hand. No matter how desperate he was to escape, he wasn't going to hurt anyone else in the process. Miho didn't deserve that, not when she was an innocent bystander who would probably take the blame if he did manage to get away. God knew what Vivian would decide to punish her with. Yuugi wasn't willing to take that chance. He would just have to wait and hope that Miho was successful... and in the meantime, he'd have to go back to chipping away at the window just in case she wasn't. Grimly, he stood up, tidied the kit away and went back to work.

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Please review!


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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Atemu was in a bad mood. That much was obvious from the moment that they landed. Not that Bakura could really blame him: he wasn't all that thrilled to be back in Egypt, either, and having to be surrounded by a bunch of people who much rather turn around and head back to Japan wasn't a pleasant experience. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall of the hotel room, easily able to hear the sound of voices on the other side. Out of an act of mercy, Atemu would be staying with him and Ryou. Malik and Mariku were on one side and Jou and Seto were on the other, with attaching doors. The prince had to stay with a guard and not even Bakura was cruel enough to subject him to a room with Malik and Mariku.

Of course, the easiest thing for them to do would have been to just go to the palace. Prince though he may be, Atemu had a lot of support in Egypt. Everyone loved him and the pharaoh knew it. There wasn't much that the people wouldn't do for him. If he showed up and explained that he'd fallen in love and said lover had been stolen out from under his nose by Vivian, well. Suffice to say that there would be a general stampede to find Yuugi by most of the population. And the pharaoh wouldn't be able to do anything about it even if he wanted to, not when his son's popularity with his people already far out-weighed his own status.

But that would've been the _smart_ thing to do, and never let it be said that Atemu was especially smart when it came to pride. He had outright refused to visit the palace or let anyone who might recognize him see him. He'd been wearing a hat and sunglasses when they got off the plane, and he'd forced the rest of them to don similar attire, which had the added bonus of making Bakura feel like an idiot. He knew better than to press the issue, though, which was how they had ended up at this hotel. It was relatively small and the man running didn't seem to be especially bright, or possibly he was just so greedy for new customers that he didn't care when the seven of them showed up, it was really a toss up.

"Would you come over here?" Ryou's voice broke into his thoughts, and Bakura glanced up with a frown. Ryou was laying on one of the queen-sized beds. Officially Bakura was supposed to be sharing with Atemu, but he had no intention of actually doing that and Ryou knew it, which was why he sat up and patted the bed. "Come over here and sit down."

Bakura did and Ryou reached out, tugging him down and over until his head was in Ryou's lap, his face framed by long white hair. Ryou was smiling, his face soft in spite of his worry. "Now listen. I know that you're worried about Atemu and frustrated that you can't go out and kill Vivian. Frankly at this point I'm not sure I would bother to stop you. But sulking around isn't going to change anything, you know."

"I do not sulk," Bakura said, deeply offended.

Ryou's smile grew wider. "Sure you don't," he said, placing the pads of his fingers on Bakura's forehead. He began to rub gently in small, concentric circles, and little by little Bakura felt the tension in the rest of his body begin to dissipate. A headache that he hadn't even been aware of was fading away. He closed his eyes and tilted into the touch. It had been a long time since anyone had touched him like this, just because, without even an intent for it to lead into sex. It had been a long time since he would have trusted anyone that much to do it. It was perturbing to realize that Ryou had made that grade.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you become a doctor?" He opened his eyes when the fingers massaging him paused. Ryou's smile had faded, leaving him looking tired and beautiful, not that Bakura would have said so. He studied Ryou's face briefly, trying without success to discern the truth. "You're good at it, you know. I can tell that you have just as much passion for caring for people as I used to have in stealing things. Why didn't you follow through on it?"

There were a hundred different things going on behind Ryou's eyes. He didn't want to talk about this and Bakura knew it. However, he also knew that since he had shared his own story, Ryou would feel obligated to be honest. It was part of that trust crap that Atemu had once tersely informed him that he was so bad at. He went to sit up and wasn't surprised when Ryou's hands impulsively tightened, keeping him in place. Like this, Ryou could have the pretence that he was in control of the situation, even if he wasn't and they both knew it. So Bakura relaxed again, deliberately this time, and waited. And just like he figured it didn't take long before Ryou started to speak.

"I wanted to," he said quietly. "I've wanted to for a long time. My mother used to tell me what it was like. She was a nurse before she met my dad, and she quit her job to be a stay at home mom. But you could tell she really missed it. Right up until the day she died, I used to wonder if she regretted marrying him, if she wished that she had kept on being a nurse instead. Sometimes I wish I had asked." He let out a little sigh and put his hands back on Bakura's forehead. "Part of the reason I wanted to be a doctor was because of her, but it's expensive, of course. My grades were good but there was always someone else who was better, and I didn't get the kind of scholarship I needed."

"What about your father?" Bakura asked.

"He always claimed he didn't have the money to help me," Ryou replied. There was tension in both his voice and body. "But he did work for a university, a good one with a decent medical program, and because of that I was able to get a discount. Between that and working a couple of jobs on the side I was able to make enough money to pay for tuition and buy my books."

But something had happened, Bakura knew, because Ryou was not a doctor. "Your father died?" he asked bluntly, and Ryou laughed a little.

"No, nothing so tragic, I'm afraid. It was more like my father had been an idiot for a long time and it finally caught up with him. You see, although he was a professor he didn't actually spend a lot of time at the university. Or even in Japan, for that matter. He was a professor of archaeology, but only because he hadn't pursued becoming an archaeologist full time. He used to say he couldn't bear to leave my mom. And after my mom and my sister died I thought he might, but he never did." Ryou paused for a moment, frowning, and then sighed. "Well, anyway, he still used to go to Egypt a lot, and sometimes he took students with him. On one of those trips, a student discovered that he was smuggling Egyptian artefacts out of the country."

Bakura's eyes popped open in surprise and he half sat up, twisting around to stare at Ryou. "You're related to _Bakura Osamu_?" he said incredulously, wondering why he hadn't made the connection before. The media had had a field day with that story and it had been at the top of the charts for months: the tale of the greedy Japanese professor who had been stealing from their country for years without being caught had spread far and wide and put a lot of their people up in arms. Atemu, Bakura, Seto and Mariku had followed the story closely, mostly because they were curious to know how it would be resolved. But he didn't remembering hearing that Osamu had a son and said as much.

Ryou's smile was bitter. "I was underage at the time, so at the request of my dad's lawyer they agreed to keep my name out of the newspapers," he explained. "I don't think she felt I should be punished for his mistake. The university, unfortunately, didn't feel the same way. When Dad lost his job, I didn't have my discount anymore and there was no way I could pay for it all on my own, plus lawyer's fees and everything else. And they weren't willing to cut me a deal, either. There was a lot of bad press aimed in their direction; a lot of people felt like they should have been more on top of things. There was even some speculation that they knew what he was doing and encouraged it. They couldn't wait to cut off contact with us for good.

"On my own, I just didn't have enough money. Dad's accounts were frozen and every bit of money he had was suddenly under suspicion. He couldn't work during the trial, either. Who would hire him? No one would be willing to trust someone who has proven that they're willing to steal. And even afterwards, when he was convicted and sentenced to jail time, a lot of his money and the house and even things like his car were seized. They found evidence that he had paid for a lot of it with the money from stolen artefacts."

This was something that Bakura did not know how to respond to. On the one hand, he had been where Osamu was. Of course, he had been far more talented than the man considering that he had never faced such serious repercussions, but still. He'd stolen before, and if it weren't for Atemu he still would be. But on the other hand, he'd never had anyone who had been depending on him at the time. It would've been a hell of a lot different if he'd had a younger sibling or, god forbid, a kid. "So you just never went back?"

"Nope. After Dad was sentenced, I moved in with Yuugi and his grandfather for a long time until I found a job where I made enough to support myself. Then I moved out and got my own place. Jii-chan told me I was welcome to stay there with them, but I didn't think it was fair to put the extra stress on him and Yuugi." Ryou shrugged. "I could try to go somewhere else, I guess, if I got a scholarship to help me out, but after everything that happened med school just had a bad taste to me. I couldn't think of it without thinking about what my dad did."

"That doesn't mean you should just give up," Bakura pointed out.

"I know. And I have thought about it every once in a while. I just... I guess I'm scared." Ryou looked a little surprised, as though this was a revelation even to himself. "The way the university treated me... I keep remembering that and I don't want to have to go through it again. Everyone would know who I was once they heard my dad's name. I'm actually surprised that you and Atemu and the others didn't catch on sooner."

Bakura shrugged. "I pay attention to the news but that was a few years ago, and like I said I didn't even know that he had a son."

"So... you don't mind that I returned to Egypt?" Ryou asked, and his voice was very quiet.

"Why would I care?" Bakura sat up and frowned at him.

"Well, I don't know. I guess... some people thought that I might be like my father. I'm not; I don't even really like archaeology all that much. I think Jii-chan's stories are fascinating, but I've gone on digs before with my dad and that life is really not one I'd be interested in." Ryou knew he was babbling. He knew it. But he couldn't stop it. This was something he had been privately worrying about from the beginning, but he hadn't let on about it to a single person, not even Yuugi, Jou or Malik. He was nothing like his father, but that hadn't stopped a fair amount of people from acting like he was.

"Ryou." Bakura reached out and cupped a hand around his chin, physically shutting Ryou's mouth for him. He smirked when the doe brown eyes stared at him in surprise. "You're being an idiot. No one here thinks that you are your father. You of all people should know by now that I don't judge people by what their parents have or haven't done."

Ryou blinked, suddenly remembering Bakura's tale, and flushed. "I didn't think of that. I'm sorry. You're right."

"I always am," he agreed a little smugly and Ryou flashed him a look. Bakura smirked. "Seriously, Atemu won't care, either. You're his friend and he values friends above everything else in the world. He doesn't have very many of them. If he even realized - and I'm not sure that he did, considering that he's so smitten with Yuugi he can't see anything else - it wouldn't make a difference. I know from personal experience that Atemu is really big on second chances."

For a moment, Ryou didn't say anything. He remained very quiet and very still, like he was absorbing everything Bakura had just said. Then he let out a big sigh and relaxed, his expression noticeably softening. "I know. I do know that. Even if you hadn't told me, I can tell that Atemu is a good person. I just feel bad for him right now. Between me and Malik, he's technically harbouring two very unwelcome people, and I'm guessing he's got enough trouble with his father as it is." He let out a nervous giggle that was much higher-pitched than he would have liked.

"Atemu's been butting heads with his father for years now. One more thing won't make much difference." Bakura fell silent, looking towards the window. In spite of his flippant words, he was actually a little concerned. He knew how much Atemu wanted to make his father proud. His promise to his mother wasn't the only reason that he wanted to get married so badly. Atemu could have challenged his father for the throne and there was a good chance, based on the desires of the people alone, that he would have won. And pushed far enough, there was a chance that Aknamkanon would have gracefully stepped aside rather then let the throne be stolen out from under him. But Atemu hadn't wanted that. He'd wanted to resolve the situation peacefully.

In spite of that, there had been a fairly loud argument between the two men on the night that Atemu had left for Japan. Atemu thought that Bakura, Mariku and Seth were unaware of it, but he was fooling himself: they were his bodyguards and advisor and as such, they knew everything there was to know about him. Besides, the palace servants were terrible gossips. Aknamkanon had not been pleased to hear that his son was venturing outside of Egypt to search for a suitable mate, though he had not gone so far as to outright forbid Atemu from doing it - mostly because the ploy would not have worked and he knew it. That was when Atemu had declared that he would not be returning to Egypt unless he had a fiancé or fiancée in tow.

Ryou touched his shoulder, drawing Bakura's attention back to him. His eyes were filled with compassion. "You're really worried about him, aren't you?" he asked softly. "I'm sorry, Bakura. I shouldn't be occupying your time telling you all this stuff when you've already got a lot on your shoulders. This thing with Atemu and Vivian and Yuugi is a lot more important."

"I wanted to hear it," Bakura said, because it was true. The brief hints here and there that Ryou had given of his past had been driving him crazy. "And like I said, I don't think you'll have much to worry about. I doubt Atemu is going to let his father know we're here unless he absolutely has to."

Looking surprised, Ryou started to speak, but he paused when the door flew open. Atemu strode into the room alone, his cell phone clenched tightly in his hand. One glance was enough to tell Bakura that something had happened and he straightened up, wondering where Mariku and Malik were. "Why are you alone?" he asked, annoyed.

"Never mind that, we've got more important things to worry about. I've just been talking to someone who claims that she works for the Wong family," Atemu announced. "She said that she's seen Yuugi and that he appears to be alright. She wants to meet with us, tonight, in a small village west of here. I've sent Mariku to find a safe way for all of us to travel, since I assume that you're going to want to come." Even as he spoke he was charging over to his suitcase and unlatching it.

"Absolutely not. It could be a trap," Bakura said.

"I don't care. I'm going," came the firm response.

"Atemu, this could be a ploy to get you out in the open!"

"Bakura!" Atemu's voice was very loud and very firm. He was breathing hard, as though he had been running, and there was desperation in his eyes. "I am not going to stop you from coming with me. I understand it is your job to protect me and that is fine. It is your choice. If you do not want to come, I will not hold it against you. But there is nothing that is going to stop me from meeting this girl tonight, do you understand? If there is even the slightest chance that it will help Yuugi, I'm going to be there. The choice is yours, but I am leaving in exactly one hour, so I suggest you chose fast."

Bakura's jaw tightened. Normally he would have argued, especially since this had trap written all over it, but he recognized that look. It was one that Atemu did not wear very often, but when he did it meant that nothing was going to stand in his way. "Very well," he replied tightly, and there was a lot he could have said at that moment, but Ryou's hand on his arm stopped him. Atemu looked at him a moment longer and then nodded, turning to continue his preparations. Ryou sighed and squeezed Bakura's arm briefly before he got up to help.

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Please review!


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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The town that Atemu had been summoned to was indeed a small one. It appeared to be mostly comprised of office buildings and a few apartment buildings, with some mansions on the outskirts: clearly a ritzy area. Malik looked out the window for a moment, wondering if they were close to where the rest of his tribe was before he forced himself to stop thinking that way. It wouldn't do him any good. He turned back to see that Jou was looking at him. The two of them shared a long look, both wondering how this was going to turn out. Atemu had been on the edge of his seat since they'd left the hotel, and since Bakura, Mariku and Seto weren't exactly happy about the trip there was a lot of tension in the air.

"I've been researching the Wong family," Seto said finally, and it was a relief when his voice broke the heavy silence that had settled. He was frowning, though. He had his laptop resting on his knees, and as the car glided to a stop he glanced up. "It seems that Vivian's aunt and uncle _do_ own a home here, though I had to do some digging in order to find it. They've distanced themselves from Vivian and the Wong family in general, not that I can blame them."

Bakura snorted at that. "I'll say," he said with a smirk, and, when Ryou turned an inquiring gaze on him, he added, "Back when Atemu and Vivian were still dating, he wanted to meet some of her family. She offered to introduce him to her aunt and uncle only after he refused to let the idea go, and she made it sound as though the two of them were just visiting. It turns out that they are nothing like Vivian. In fact, I seem to recall that her aunt called her a spoiled rotten brat and a blight on the family name as they were leaving. If Vivian is there, it's likely those two don't know about it, because I can't imagine they would let her stay."

"Not necessarily," Malik said quietly. "Maybe they didn't have a choice."

Mariku looked at him with a frown, but Seto cleared his throat and spoke first. "That may well be the case, Malik. I wouldn't put it past Vivian to have come here behind their backs, particularly since according to what I found they're both out of the country and it will be some weeks before they return. I've got the address here, though. We could go straight to the house if that's what you would prefer." He looked hopefully at Atemu.

The prince was staring out the window, and for a moment it seemed like he hadn't even heard what Seto had said. But then he sighed and shook his head slowly. "No. As much as I would like to make sure that Yuugi is okay, and I'm sure that is where Vivian has taken him, it's not safe. We don't know if Vivian is there, and if she is letting her know that we've discovered where she is, is only going to put Yuugi in danger. I think we're better off going to this meeting. If it turns out that it doesn't go well, at least we'll have some sort of back up plan."

"You don't think she would actually hurt Yuugi, do you?" Ryou said nervously. "I mean, I know there was that incident at the cooking school, but..." He didn't seem to be very comforted by the looks on everyone's faces, especially when no one spoke up to reassure him, and no one said anything for what felt like an hour while they all looked out the window at the place where they were parked. Nothing was happening. Finally, Jou reached for the door and pushed it open.

"I'm sick of just sitting here," he declared. "I'm going."

"Jou! You don't know who's out there!" Seto exclaimed, closing his laptop quickly. He reached out and tried to catch Jou's wrist, but he wasn't fast enough. "Let Bakura and Mariku go first."

Jou wasn't listening. He clambered out of the car and glanced around as he stood up. There was no one in the immediate vicinity of the car; as far as he could tell they had parked outside of an empty lot. He moved aside so that the others could get out, realizing that Yuugi definitely wasn't around. "There's no one here," he remarked, disappointed.

"Idiot," Bakura said as he followed, one hand pressed against the small of his back. "You really have no idea, do you? There are tons of places here that someone could hide. If they had a gun and wanted to shoot you, you would be dead by now." He ignored Jou's paling face and scanned the area, automatically searching out all of the places that were large enough to hide one or more persons. Even though the lot _appeared_ to be deserted, he suspected that they were being watched. That was exactly why he had wanted Atemu to stay back at the hotel; there was just no way to keep him safe when they were out in the open like this.

"You're being over dramatic, Bakura." Atemu got out last in spite of Mariku's best attempts at keeping him in the car. He swatted the hands of his guard away and said, "You really think Vivian is going to hire someone to shoot me? She's been trying to get back together with me. She can't do that if I'm dead."

"Well said." The voice was soft-spoken and female, one that none of them except for Atemu recognized. The whole group tensed and Bakura pulled out a gun as a young woman stepped forward. She looked at the gun like he was holding nothing more than a child's toy and smiled. She was petite, with lavender hair tied up with a yellow ribbon. The man standing next to her looked to be about the same age, with brown hair and eyes. He had a possessive arm wound around the woman's waist and was frowning at Bakura.

"Who are you?" Bakura demanded in Arabic, index finger pressed warningly against the trigger. He was not above shooting them, and he wanted to make sure that they knew it.

"My name is Miho," said the girl in flawless Japanese, likely for the benefit of Ryou, Jou and Malik. "This is my husband, Honda. There's no need to wave around your gun. If we had come here with the desire to see you dead, you would be already." She crossed her arms and shrugged lightly, like it made no difference to her. "I called you here because Yuugi asked me to. He said that you were his friends and that you would be worried about him. Was he wrong?"

"No," Atemu said vehemently, taking a step forward. He stopped short when both Miho and Honda bowed to him, discomfited by the unexpected gesture of respect. After a moment, he continued, "I am – anything you can tell me about him and how he is doing would be appreciated."

"I work for the Wong family. Right now my master and mistress are out of the country. Vivian's father begged them to allow her access to their home, and although they were reluctant to accept they couldn't find a way to say no," Miho explained. "She arrived a few days ago with company that we were not expecting. One of them, a young man, was taken up to a room on the third floor and I was told that he was to be kept there at all times. The only people allowed to see him are Vivian Wong and another man she has brought into her employ. Yesterday morning, I saw my chance and went in to see what was going in there. I was curious." She flushed a little. "He told me that Vivian had brought him there and was holding him against his well. He gave me your number." And she showed them her wrist.

Atemu crossed the remaining distance between them in a handful of steps. He seized her hand and looked at the finely written numbers in black ink. Ryou had followed him, and he peeked around Atemu to examine the handwriting. "That's Yuugi's writing," he declared after only a couple seconds perusal. "I'd recognize it anywhere."

"So you know that we're telling the truth," said Honda, speaking for the first time. Like Miho, his Japanese was perfect and without a hint of an accent.

"You could have forced Yuugi to write that," Mariku said. Bakura didn't lower the gun.

"For what purpose would we do that?" Miho demanded, exasperated. She did not protest Atemu's grip on her wrist or the way he was twisting her hand, like he was trying to see the writing from every possible angle. "Yuugi told me that Vivian is determined to become the queen of Egypt. From what I know of her, I can honestly tell you that would spell disaster for your country. Vivian is a cruel woman. She will not love your people, your highness."

"I know," Atemu said quietly, finally releasing her arm. "That's why I can't marry her no matter what kind of plan she puts in place."

"Do you know what she's planning?" Jou asked.

"I heard her talking about the palace and the pharaoh," Honda said. "I was attending to some of the yard work at the time. She is not careful about who listens to her." He smiled wryly. "She did mention something but a wedding, but I'm afraid I wasn't able to hear everything. The man she was with – I believe she said his name was Bandit Keith – realized I was there and hushed her."

"Bandit Keith?" Malik cried as Ryou gasped and Jou swore softly. Realizing that the others were looking at him questioningly, he added quickly, "Shit. That's really not good. Bandit Keith is the man who was rumoured to win Illusion Island's duel monster tournament. He was considered to be the favourite, and a lot of people were really shocked when Yuugi appeared out of nowhere and kicked his ass. He was furious, and Pegasus had to have him escorted off of the island. He always swore that he would come back one day and make Yuugi pay for having taken his win."

"Did he have blond hair and wear a bandanna?" Jou said Honda, looking worried.

"Yes, that's him."

"Damn! It's got to be the same guy." Helplessly, he clenched his hand into a fist. He remembered that day very well. Bandit Keith had been a cocky bastard, swaggering into the castle like he already owned it. He'd had the full support of the media, not to mention a lot of fans who were expecting to see him win. Apparently Yuugi's beating him had caused a lot of promotion deals to fall through, and Bandit Keith had been left virtually penniless, especially after his true nature of being a bully before and during a duel had been revealed on national television. If he was with Yuugi that meant Yuugi was in even more danger than they had guessed.

"We can take you to the house if you want, but I'm not sure that's a good idea. Vivian has installed security measures, and while I'm sure you could get by them without too much trouble I don't know how Yuugi would make out. It could put him in danger," Miho said. "Maybe you should try drawing Vivian out first."

"You could pretend that you want to marry her," suggested Ryou.

Atemu looked horrified. "I don't think I have it in me to be that good of an actor."

"Vivian's not that stupid. I doubt she would fall for it," Seto said. "However, if you told her that you just wanted to talk, she might be willing to believe that. It would give the rest of us the opportunity to get into the house." He glanced at Miho and Honda. "I need a copy of the blueprints to that house. I need to know everything about the exits, where there might be secret or hidden rooms, and where she'll have posted guards and security. Can you get that?"

"Yes," Honda said immediately. "I know where they're kept. They were thinking of making some renovations in the fall, and so the copies should be fairly new."

"Then do so. Atemu will set up a meeting with Vivian."

"But what if she figures out that this is a trap?" Malik asked. "Like you said, Vivian's not stupid."

"No, but I think she's blinded by the fact that she believes she's more intelligent than we are. She knows how much Atemu cares for Yuugi. If he makes it seem like this is for Yuugi's sake..." Seto trailed off and nodded confidently. "I've examined this situation from every angle and at the moment, this sounds like the best one."

"Except for one thing," Bakura said. "What's to stop the crazy bitch from just coming back and doing something similar all over again? You know she won't stop until Atemu is married."

"I'll declare my intention to marry Yuugi," Atemu said quietly, and everyone stared at him in surprise. "I love Yuugi. I've already made it clear to him that I would like him to be my Queen, if he'd be willing to accept the offer. I know it's too soon for us to marry, but if I announced to everyone that I'm planning to pursue him Vivian won't have any choice but to give up. The world will know that I am serious. My father will know. It will be Yuugi, and no one else."

"Atemu..." Seto said quietly, amazed by what his cousin was suggesting. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Atemu nodded his head. His ruby eyes were calm for the first time in days. "I'm not doing this just because of Vivian. From the moment that I met Yuugi, I knew there was something different about him. He makes me want to be a better person, and more importantly I feel like a better man when I'm around him. I know that Yuugi will grow to care about my country and my people just as much as I do." He took a deep breath. "And if it turns out that Yuugi doesn't want to marry me, I'll deal with that when it happens."

Malik, Ryou and Jou all exchanged glances. All three of them were thinking the same thing: the chances of Yuugi turning Atemu down were slim to none. Their friend was every bit in love with the prince as Atemu was with him. "But what if Vivian tries to convince you to change your mind?" Ryou asked.

"You're thinking of giving Yuugi your ring," Seto said with a sudden jolt of understanding. When he saw the confused looks being directed at him, he hastened to explain. "For many generations, in Egyptian royalty, there has been a ring handed down to each son and daughter. Atemu wears it now on his finger, do you see?" He indicated the ring that had been given to Atemu by his mother shortly before her passing. "When they find a worthy partner, and know that the marriage will be forever, they give the ring to their intended. It's a symbol of eternal devotion and is considered to be more permanent than anything else. It's an indication that they have given their heart away and will not seek another."

"You would do that?" Ryou said, eyes wide.

Atemu nodded. He slipped the ring off of his finger and gazed at it for a long moment. It was a deceptively simple thing. No one would have known how much meaning it possessed if they were just giving it a casual glance, nor would they have been able to guess that it was centuries old. It had been first crafted by one of his grandfathers, and it had been given to his mother by his father on the day he asked her to marry him. She had never taken it off, not until the day she died, and since that time Atemu had never removed it. But he felt confident about his decision. Yuugi was rapidly becoming the light of his life, and he had never felt this way about anyone else. He knew that he wanted Yuugi to be his partner in every way imaginable.

Even though they had only known each other for a short time, the strength of what he felt for Yuugi surprised him. Just seeing Yuugi's smile was enough to brighten his morning, a feeling that could last the whole day. When he pictured his future he knew he could live without Yuugi, just as he knew that his life would be so much _more_ with Yuugi at his side. "I _am_ going to do this," he corrected, holding the ring out to Miho. He met her eyes, hoping to impress the seriousness of the situation on her. "Please make sure that Yuugi and no one else receives this."

Miho took the ring and turned it over, her gaze falling on the sacred crest that had been imprinted onto the underside. She knew that it was easily the most valuable thing that she had ever held. Her jaw tightened and she squared her shoulders. "I promise that I'll give it to him myself," she replied. "Good luck, your highness."

"Thank you," Atemu said softly, giving her a thin smile. He knew that he was going to need all the help he could get.

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Please review!


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:** Warning for a beating. Enjoy!

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It was another four days before anything of importance happened to Yuugi, and when something did eventually happen he almost wished that he had been left alone. He was sitting on the small bed when the door finally opened, and he looked up expecting to see Bandit Keith. But instead it was Vivian. As he stared at her in surprise, she took a step into the room and closed the door behind her. Yuugi examined her carefully, noting that she was wearing an evening gown in a deep red that clung to her body, along with several pieces of jewellery that he suspected were real. She was not the sort of person who would wear anything that wasn't.

"What do you want?" he asked finally, when the silence began to wear on his nerves and still she didn't speak, just stared at him with an infuriatingly smug smirk. He glanced at the door, knowing that there were likely guards posted right outside. Otherwise, he would've rushed her and tried to make it out the door past her. Much as he didn't approve of violence, he thought Vivian might be the one person he could make an exception for.

"Oh, I just thought I would let you know that Atemu has given into my demands," she replied. When he arched a disbelieving eyebrow, her smile grew that much wider. "Well, you are right. He hasn't totally given in yet, of course. But he has asked that the two of us meet. I know that he will be very interested in accepting my hand in marriage after he sees what the alternative is. Unfortunately for you, I'm going to require proof."

"Proof," Yuugi repeated dully, sensing that this was not going to end well for him. He was proven correct when the door opened for a second time and Bandit Keith walked in. His sunglasses were gone, revealing eyes that glittered with a sick sort of anticipation. Without saying a word, he walked straight over to Yuugi, drew his fist back and punched Yuugi solidly in the stomach. Caught off guard, Yuugi found himself gasping for breath as he instinctively hunched forward, arms wrapping protectively around his midsection.

"That looked as though it hurt," Vivian said with a trace of false sympathy. "You know, Yuugi, it doesn't have to be like this. There is another option."

Bandit Keith's knee caught him in side of the face before he could respond, and Yuugi reeled back as his cheek and jaw throbbed with pain. He tasted blood as he straightened painfully, and he realized that he'd bitten his lip at the impact. "I'm not sure I want to know what you mean," he rasped. Talking was unexpectedly painful and he winced, not daring to leave his belly and ribs exposed to explore the damage.

"You probably don't, but I'm going to tell you anyway. It wouldn't do for you to not be able to make an informed decision. After all, this is much simpler and involves a good deal less pain for you. All you would have to do is come with me to the palace. I'll introduce you to Atemu's father. You can tell him yourself that you are not interested in marrying Atemu. At that point, I'll offer myself up instead."

For about a minute, Yuugi just stared at her in disbelief. "You can't honestly believe that will work," he said at last. "Just because Atemu doesn't marry me doesn't mean he has to marry you instead. I don't know if you've noticed, but there are millions of other candidates in the world."

The smart remark earned him another punch, this time to the upper right side of his body, and as it turned out his arms weren't much protection after all. Vivian ignored it, acting as though it had not happened, and said, "That's the other part of my plan, if you would allow me to finish. With the support of his father behind me, Atemu will then agree to marry me in exchange for your safety."

"In exchange for…" There was a comment that Yuugi could have easily made, something about how he didn't feel overly safe at that moment, but at the last second he kept himself from speaking. Bandit Keith was too close and too excited for sarcasm. Instead, he rocked backwards slightly and said wearily, "I think you're greatly over-estimating my importance to the _prince_ of Egypt. God damn it, Vivian, do you really think Atemu will marry you if he doesn't believe you're the best fit for his country? Egypt is always going to come first with him no matter who he ends up with."

Vivian's eyes went cold. "Then you're saying no?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," Yuugi replied. No matter what, he was not going to participate in Vivian's plans. Now that he'd had the opportunity to see exactly what she was capable of, there was no way he was going to unleash her on the people of Egypt. They didn't deserve that. Vivian would have the whole country in trouble within the first year, and that was if they were lucky. He had no idea why she was wanted to be Queen so badly, but he doubted it was because she would be a good one.

"Fine. Just remember that I offered you the chance to do this in a nice way," she responded flatly. "Keith, go ahead. Just make sure you don't damage him permanently." She swung away and looked pointedly out the window, her back facing the two of them.

Yuugi did not cower when Bandit Keith came towards him. He faced the first blow to his already bruised cheek head on, and then slipped from the edge of the bed to huddle on the floor without any prompting, hands cupped protectively over his head while blows rained down from above. Bandit Keith was panting as he alternated between kicks and punches, seeking to do as much damage as he could without crossing the line of serious injury. It likely only lasted for a few minutes, five at most, but to Yuugi it seemed to be endless. It had been a very long time since anyone had attacked him like this, and time had done too good of a job in allowing him to forget just how much it could hurt.

"Enough," Vivian said at last, and after one more kick to Yuugi's buttocks Bandit Keith backed off. He was breathing heavily and flushed with triumph. Vivian turned and regarded Yuugi, then reached into the little satchel she was carrying in the crook of her arm and pulled out her cell phone. She held it up and took several pictures. Yuugi could hear the clicking even though he did not look up or move. And when she was finished, Vivian said, "Make sure that you keep him alive. I need him to make sure that Atemu will do what he's told. Remember that unless I get what I want, you don't get what you want. So it's in your best interests to keep your hands off unless I expressly tell you that you may hit him again."

"Yeah, yeah," Bandit Keith grunted, following her out of the room. The door swung shut and the locks slipped back into place, and then Yuugi was alone again.

He waited for quite some time, not daring to move until he could be completely certain that the both of them were really gone. But after a sufficient amount of time had passed and he heard nothing, he slowly uncurled his stiffened muscles and sat up. The pain was considerable, and fresh bruises made themselves known to him as he leaned back against the bed. For a few minutes he sat there in absolute silence, just breathing through the pain. He hadn't realized what Vivian was capable of, not fully. He hoped that Atemu would treat her with the caution that she deserved, that Bakura and Mariku and Seto would be careful and wary when the prince went to meet with her. He wouldn't have put it past Vivian to attempt another kidnapping at this rate.

He didn't remember falling asleep - or passing out, more likely. But when he opened his eyes again, the sunlight in the room had dimmed and gone dusky orange, and Miho was kneeling in front of him. His shirt was gone and she was tenderly pressing a bag of ice against his ribs. Yuugi shivered and her eyes flew up to his face. A look of relief flashed across her face, though she didn't speak. She took his hand and put it to the ice bag, and once she confirmed that he could hold it in place she sat back on her heels and put her hand on his cheek so that she could examine the damage.

"He did a number on you," she observed, tilting his cheek up slightly. "You are lucky that she didn't try to kill you, Yuugi."

"I don't think she would have dared," Yuugi said, wincing. It hurt more than he was expecting to talk. The lower half of his face was throbbing, and he could feel a couple of loose teeth. Carefully, he probed them with his tongue, hoping that a visit to the dentist wouldn't be necessary.

"Stop that," Miho ordered. "You're going to do more damage."

Yuugi wasn't actually sure if that was possible, but he gave in and allowed Miho to continue her meagre administrations. There wasn't much she could do, he knew. Bandit Keith had been methodical in spite of his frenzy, leaving mostly painful bruises behind. The only split skin that he could feel was on his lower lip, and that was something he had done to himself. "I'm surprised he let you in here."

Miho's smile was sly. "I didn't say that he let me in," she replied, holding up a small bottle of antiseptic. "I waited until I saw the two of them leave the house, and then I decided to take a chance and sneak in. The other bodyguards that Vivian hired are pretty easily swayed. All I had to do was drop a couple of hints about how concerned I was and threaten to cry, and one of them fell all over himself to let me in. I don't think he thinks that I'd be able to do much."

"Well, as much as I appreciate your help he's got a point," Yuugi replied. Even though the application of the spray to a couple of wounds he hadn't noticed stung, he held still.

"Ah, but I've got a couple of things up my sleeve. For starters, I talked to that handsome boyfriend of yours."

"You did?" He looked up at her with wide eyes. It was shocking, how much he wanted to hear about Atemu. He knew that part of his yearning was just from the dangerous situation that he had found himself in, but a lot of it was just plain missing. He wanted to see Atemu more than anyone else, but not if it meant that Atemu would be in any kind of danger. Miho must have been able to read that in his face because her smile turned kind and she squeezed his hand as gently as possible.

"Don't worry, Yuugi. He's still with his friends," she told him. "Atemu is being smart about this whether he wants to be or not. I'm not sure that those guards of his would allow him to be anything else."

He had to smile at that. It must have been driving Atemu crazy to be so smothered by Bakura, Mariku and Seto, but it was really the best thing for him. Yuugi had personal experience with the knowledge that Vivian was even more dangerous than any of them had realized. There didn't seem to be any lows that she wouldn't stoop to. He wouldn't have wanted Atemu to be trapped in the same situation that he was, especially not with Bandit Keith around. He looked up at Miho. "Vivian's got some new plan. She was talking about meeting with Atemu. I wish I'd known before so that I could have asked you to warn him."

"Atemu already knows. He's the one who set up," Miho said in an effort to keep him calm. Before he could say anything else, she held up a placating hand and added, "He knows what he's doing. They've got a plan to end this situation. I can't tell you any more than that because I don't know exactly what's going on. It's enough that your friends trusted me to help in the first place. I didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. As it is, I was charged with delivering something that is extremely valuable to you."

"Something extremely valuable?" he repeated, baffled. Miho was wearing a slightly different dress from yesterday, but overall it was still mostly the same. He couldn't see anything on her that would be considered valuable. And she had just said that she didn't have any idea what Atemu and the others were planning. He couldn't think of anything else that she would have that he'd need.

Miho chuckled softly and reached into the pocket of her dress. She took out the last thing that Yuugi was expecting to see. He recognized it immediately, of course: it was the ring that Atemu always wore on his pinkie finger. He couldn't ever remember seeing Atemu without it. The ring was simple in design, fashioned from gold with a small red stone on top. The color kind of reminded him of Atemu's eyes. It was a beautiful ring, but he still didn't understand why Miho had brought it to him. Not unless it could magically transform into some kind of weapon or escape route.

"I don't understand," he admitted, a little ashamed because he was pretty sure he was supposed to.

"It is the Heart of the Pharaoh," Miho said, watching his face closely. His eyes went wide and she knew that he understood.

Sugoroku had long since been fascinated with the Ancient Egyptians and how they had lived their lives. One of his favourite stories to share with curious listeners was about the tradition of the Pharaoh's ring, or the "Heart of the Pharaoh". Often the rings were passed from generation to generation and some dated back thousands of years, but sometimes they were made new. The one Miho was holding only looked to be a couple hundred years old, if that. Yuugi had grown up hearing that story repeatedly, and he'd known that it was one that was kept in place even now, but he hadn't thought - he hadn't _realized_…

"For me?" His voice was a little choked when he spoke. "But… that's…"

"A very generous gift, one that I am sure you are capable of handling with the upmost care," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Go ahead, Yuugi. Atemu was adamant that I give the ring to no one but you. You are the one he has chosen." Gently, she took his hand and slipped the ring into his palm.

Even though the ring was light, it felt impossibly heavy. He stared down at it, a lump forming in his throat that prevented him from speaking. Because this was proof, actual _proof_ that Atemu really did want to be with him. Everyone in Egypt would know the symbolism behind this ring; he had to believe that Atemu took it seriously if he had chosen to give it to Yuugi. This was as good, if not better than, a marriage proposal. It was essentially saying that Yuugi was the one person for Atemu, that Atemu wanted to be with him forever. It was the sort of thing that Vivian would have killed to get her hands on. He felt, suddenly, a little light-headed.

"I think I need some air," he said, shortly before he remembered that there was no way that was going to happen.

"Sorry, I'm afraid that's beyond even my ability." Miho began to put the little kit back together, very carefully not looking in Yuugi's direction. He appreciated the bit of privacy she was trying to give him as he looked back down at the ring. There were a hundred questions racing through his mind, but the man who could answer them was nowhere in sight. Was it right to accept this ring? Did he even want to? Had Atemu given it to him because of the situation or because he wanted to?

"God," he whispered, closing his eyes. Alright, so he could answer one of the questions. Yes, he did want this ring. He wanted it very much. Atemu was everything that Yuugi hadn't even known he wanted. Somehow, the two of them just _fit_ in a way that he and Anzu never had. Atemu made him feel comfortable and strong; Yuugi felt like he could do anything as long as Atemu was with him. He wanted to know what his future would be like if Atemu was in it, and he didn't want to imagine a future that didn't include Atemu because it seemed like it would be painfully empty. And on the heels of that thought, before he could stop himself, he slipped the ring onto his finger. It fit perfectly.

"Oh, it looks good," Miho murmured, revealing that she'd been watching him a lot more closely than she'd let on.

Yuugi gazed down at his hand. His hands were both filthy, and his fingernails were all chipped and broken, with fragments of paint chips stuck beneath the remaining nails. But in spite of that he had to admit that Miho was right. The ring actually looked quite good on his finger. Not feminine the way he had imagined, nor did it look tacky. It looked like it belonged. He smiled wearily. "I hope that you're right and they do have a plan," he said, lifting his head to meet her eyes. "Because I want to be able to say yes to Atemu in person."

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Please review!


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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Hiroto Miho lifted a cup of tea to her mouth and sipped slowly at the steaming liquid. Even with the addition of milk and sugar, it was still piping hot just the way she liked it. But certain circumstances were rendering her incapable of enjoying it. She looked over at the clock, which read half past seven. It had been over four hours since she'd had the opportunity to sneak in and see how Yuugi was doing, and she hadn't seen him since. Unfortunately, the guard that she had snuck past hadn't given her long in the room before he came to see what she was doing, and when he realized she was giving Yuugi medical treatment he'd escorted her back down to the kitchen - which was a nice way of saying that she'd been kicked out.

Now she was left waiting to see what would happen, and if there was one thing Miho hated more than anything else it was _waiting_. She had never been the sort of girl who waited around for something to happen. Take her relationship with Honda: from the moment that she'd met him she knew Honda was the man she wanted, and it hadn't taken much to entice Honda into chasing her. Both of them had thoroughly enjoyed their little game, right up to the point where Miho had allowed herself to be "caught". Married life might have settled her down a bit, but not to the point where she felt comfortable doing nothing about Yuugi's situation.

But then the question arose, what could she do? Seto had been very specific with his instructions: she was to give nothing away and act as normal as possible. None of them wanted to risk letting Vivian know that a rescue operation had been planned. This might be the one chance they had to remove Yuugi safely from the house while she was temporarily distracted. After all, Miho had her doubts that the prince would be able to keep Vivian occupied for long. She'd seen the look on his face whenever Vivian's name was mentioned: pure revulsion didn't even begin to cover it. No matter how good of an actor he was, she suspected he could only pass so much time in Vivian's presence before he snapped. And if the others didn't act before then, well, saving Yuugi had the potential to become infinitely more complicated.

"Miho? What are you doing?" The sound of her husband's voice, along with a hand resting on her shoulder, startled Miho out of her thoughts. She jumped, nearly sloshing tea all over the table.

"Oh, Honda," she said, setting her cup down. She could tell at a glance that Honda had just come in from working on the yard. His face was flushed pink, possibly with the beginning of sunburn, and his brown hair was windswept and tousled. He looked tired, and Miho stood up and gently pushed him down into one of the chairs. "Sit down, love. I'll get you something to eat."

Honda nodded his thanks. "What were you thinking about?"

"I think you already know," Miho replied. There was no point in trying to hide it. After years of marriage, Honda knew her as well as she knew herself. She got out the ingredients to make him a sandwich and considered what she could say, taking into account the fact that there may be people eavesdropping. "I just hate this waiting, Honda. You know I've never liked having Vivian in the house. She's not a very nice girl, and this whole thing makes me nervous."

"I know," he said gently, understanding immediately that she was being cautious. He shot her an approving smile. "But you also know that we were asked to stay here and take care of the house, and that includes any members of the Wong family who might want to stay here. You've already gotten involved enough, Miho. I don't want you to get hurt."

Miho didn't say anything for a moment. How could she explain to Honda that getting hurt was the least of her concern? She had never told him, though she suspected he had guessed, that she had been the one who'd sent Bakura an envelope containing photographs of Vivian and one of the guards from the palace after discovering them in one of the upstairs bedrooms. She considered marriage to be an important measure of trust, and Vivian had been betraying that with her affairs. It wasn't right, not in the least because Miho thought the woman would make a dreadful Queen. She did not regret sending that package, even knowing that it could have easily cost her their jobs, and she knew that she would not regret getting involved now.

"I'm sorry," she said at last, turning and setting his plate down in front of him. She lingered there, watching his face. "I have to do what I think is right, Honda."

He took a bite of the sandwich and chewed, his expression so blank that she couldn't tell what he was thinking. But at least he sighed. "I knew that's what you were going to say. That's exactly what I love about you," he admitted with a wry smile. "Let me finish my sandwich and we can go out into the yard, and I'll show you what I've been doing." He looked at her significantly, and she realized that it would be much harder for anyone to overhear them while they were outside. She would be able to freely share her plan.

"I think that sounds like a lovely idea," she said happily, and then just because she could she swooped down and gave him a kiss.

**YY**

Vivian looked stunning. That was the first thought that entered Atemu's mind when he walked into the restaurant. Somehow, it did not surprise him that she was already waiting for him. The only thing Vivian loved more than being dramatic was a show of power. She usually tried to be "fashionably late" so that she could make an entrance with all eyes on her, but in this case she had evidently determined that reaching the table first would cement her position as the person in charge. That, and the fact that she had most of the male waiters fawning all over her, had served to give her a smug smile that she turned on Atemu as he approached.

He returned the look with a carefully blank one of his own, not wanting to let her know anything that he was feeling. His eyes swept across the table, noting the costly bottle of wine she had ordered, and landed on the man who was seated at the table just beside them. He was alone and dressed in a suit, but the clothing clearly did not belong to him: the jacket was a little large in the shoulders and waist and too short in the arms. He was also wearing a bandanna and sunglasses which clashed horrifically with the rest of his outfit. Based on the descriptions given by Jou, Malik and Ryou, Atemu knew this was Bandit Keith. The urge to punch the bastard in the face was nearly overwhelming, but he controlled it.

"Atemu," Vivian said in her silkiest voice, cocking her head in greeting. "How wonderful of you to suggest a meeting between us, just when I was beginning to think that you were going to ignore me and my needs." She took on a husky note as she spoke, and Atemu had to fight to keep his expression composed.

"You know my schedule is busy," he said carefully, maintaining the ruse as he sat down across from her. "But then, you really left me with no choice."

"No I didn't, did I?" she agreed, sounding supremely unconcerned about that particular fact. Her smile grew as a waitress walked over to them and asked Atemu if he wanted a drink. It clearly amused her to watch Atemu squirm with the knowledge that he might be recognized at any minute. It was Vivian who had insisted on the public venue, not Atemu, and she was fully enjoying his discomfort.

After the waitress had departed sans drink order, Atemu turned his attention back to Vivian to see that she had pushed a wine glass over to him. She was holding a second one in her hand, tipped towards him so that they could toast. For a long moment, Atemu merely stared at her. He was incredibly tempted to refuse and leave her hanging, but that would accomplish nothing but making her angry. Since he was supposed to be keeping her occupied, he picked up his own glass and lightly tapped the rim against hers, then held it to his lips. He pretended to swallow, but didn't allow any wine into his mouth.

She didn't seem to notice. She set her glass down and said, "I have to wonder, though, if you've really seen the light yet, or if this meeting is really just a ruse of some kind. I hope it's not the latter, Atemu. I would hate to have to hurt your little friend anymore."

Atemu's blood ran cold. "Anymore?" he repeated. "What have you done, Vivian?"

"Oh, nothing much." She gave an airy giggle and tossed her head back. "My dear friend Keith had a few… issues that he and Yuugi needed to discuss, that's all. It wasn't a big deal." She cast a subtle glance around the room, checking to be sure that no one was close enough to hear what she was saying. Atemu looked around automatically as well and realized that no one except for Bandit Keith was paying them the least little bit of attention. Even the waiters who had been vying for Vivian's attention when he'd first walked in had lost interest now that she had a male companion. A movement drew his attention back to Vivian, and he realized that she was reaching into her purse and taking out a small brown envelope, which she tossed across the table.

"What is this?" Knowing even as he spoke that the question was a waste of his breath, Atemu picked the envelope up cautiously. If Bakura or Mariku had been there, they would've warned him against opening the envelope, he knew. But as horrible as Vivian was, he didn't think she was the sort of person who would result to biological warfare. All the same, he was careful as he ran a finger under the flap and slit it open. Glossy photographs spilled out across the table, three in total. Atemu's stomach flipped over when he saw what they were of.

Each photo showed Yuugi slumped on the floor of a small bedroom. He was huddled up against a bed, his head pillowed on his arms like he was too weak to hold it up. And no wonder - even without a glimpse of Yuugi's face, it was blatantly obvious that he had just suffered a beating. His clothing was askew and torn, and bruises were beginning to develop on the patches of once creamy skin that Atemu could still make out. He felt his breathing becoming heavier and his fingers unconsciously clenched, digging into the sides of the picture. It took everything he had to not tear the horrible thing right down the middle. But he didn't. He refused to give Vivian that amount of satisfaction. Yuugi deserved better than that. It was for Yuugi alone that Atemu kept his expression blank when he looked up and met Vivian's eyes again.

"I will make you pay for this," he said, the words eerily calm. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Bandit Keith shivered and began to sweat. Hopefully the idiot was beginning to re-think the intelligence of his own position in this travesty, but Atemu truly doubted that Bandit Keith was that smart.

Vivian certainly wasn't. Her smile only grew in the face of his fury. "Like I said, I wouldn't want to have to hurt your friend _anymore_," she repeated meaningfully. "That's why I think you should start cooperating with me, Atemu. What I want isn't really that bad, is it? You were in love with me at one time. You wanted to marry me. I think we could rekindle those feelings if you would just give me a chance."

Atemu took a sip from his water glass, needing a moment to swallow his rage before he responded. She was technically correct, and he would be forever thankful that his loyal friends had stopped him from making the biggest mistake of his life. Because he was certain that once Vivian had gotten her claws into him, she never would have let him go, and the thought of a future trapped with her was now the worst fate he could think of. Besides, she wasn't entirely right: although they had come close to marriage, he had never given Vivian his ring. She had pressed him for it, dropping less than subtle hints, but it had never felt like the right moment.

Now, with Yuugi, he understood that the moment did not matter, and that was why he had given the ring to Miho. He didn't even need to be with Yuugi to know that the intent behind the gift would be understood. By giving Yuugi that ring, Atemu was reaffirming to everyone, including himself, that he knew Yuugi was the one. There would never be anyone else; Yuugi was his other half, the person Atemu wanted by his side. It only served to underscore the fact that Vivian was _not _the one, and she never would be no matter what she did or how many people she hurt.

"Vivian, I am not in love with you. I don't want to marry you. I am not _going_ to marry you. This whole farce only proves to me that you are not fit to be the Queen of my country." Atemu cast a derisive glance down at the photos. He hated what he was about to say. It was one of the things about being a prince that bothered him immensely. But he knew he had to make this very clear to her. "No matter what you do to Yuugi, or how else you plan to blackmail me, it's not going to work."

For a moment, she just stared at him. "Funny," she said at last. "I would have thought that you cared more about him than that."

"I love Yuugi with everything that I am," he hissed, incensed. "But that doesn't change the fact that my country has to come first."

Whatever else Vivian was going to say was silenced when the waitress came over. Atemu was expecting to see her carrying a meal, but too late it occurred to him that they hadn't ordered. Worse yet, he only realized that there was a third seat at their table when he saw the man standing behind their waitress, a man that he could not help but recognize. After all, Pharaoh Aknamkanon stood out even when he was trying not to. His father was wearing a suit that had been perfectly tailored to fit, paired with a crisp white shirt and a blue silk tie. He thanked the waitress and sat between Atemu and Vivian.

"Good evening," he greeted them both, apparently unconcerned that his only son was currently attempting to kill someone via a furious glare. "Vivian, it's wonderful to see you again. And Atemu, I have to confess that I'm surprised to see you back in Egypt so soon." His raised eyebrow further expounded on the fact that he was actually shocked to see_ Atemu_ in the company of _Vivian_ after his son had sworn not to return without a suitable wife or husband.

"Father," Atemu said through gritted teeth, his heart pounding a furious symphony in his chest. He noticed that the photos that had been decorating the table minutes before were gone. Vivian must have hidden them when he was distracted and he cursed himself for the oversight. It would've been proof that she was crazy. Worse yet, Bandit Keith was gone. Was he heading back to where Yuugi was kept? How long would it take him to get there? Was he planning to do something to Yuugi tonight?

"Your highness," Vivian said with a brilliant smile. She'd always possessed the ability to turn her charm off and on like she had a mental switch and she did so now. It was equal parts disgusting and disturbing to watch as she leaned forward, lightly brushing the pharaoh's hand with her own. "It's so kind of you to join us. I know how terribly busy you are."

"I always have time for my son," Aknamkanon replied.

Atemu closed his eyes briefly, because for the first time in his life he wished this wasn't true. Now he understood why Vivian had shown him those photographs. They were a warning, a little example of what was going to happen to Yuugi if Atemu didn't agree to play along. And he couldn't, he just _couldn't_ bring himself to say that he was going to marry Vivian even if it was in jest. Even if it meant that Yuugi might suffer as a result. He looked up to see that Vivian was smirking at him. She was enjoying his struggle, he knew, and if he could have been certain that Yuugi had been freed already he would've gladly dumped his wine glass over her head.

"I think we should order before we get down to business," said Vivian, lifting a hand to beckon their waitress over again. "What will you have, Atemu?"

"I haven't decided," Atemu said, not willing to admit that she had completely made him lose his appetite. He picked up the menu and stared blankly at the list of options, silently praying that he would soon get some sign that his friend's mission had been successful.

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Please review!


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Enjoy!

**Note:** There will be no update next week, March 8th 2013, as I am moving to a new apartment (my first time!) and won't have the time. You can check my profile for updates.

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The television always made rescue operations seem exciting. In reality, they were dreadfully boring. Ryou glanced at the clock for about the fifth time since Atemu had left, but unfortunately the time hadn't magically leapt forward. It was only two minutes later than it had been the last time he checked. He sighed and shifted restlessly. They had to give Atemu and Mariku enough time to reach the restaurant. Mariku was going to keep out of sight, but he had promised to send a text as soon as he confirmed Vivian was there. That would be their signal to actually get up and do something. But until that text came, they couldn't do anything.

Well, at least they weren't being kept out of the line of fire altogether. That was the plan that Atemu had originally suggested with the intention of keeping Malik, Ryou and Jou safe. It had been met, of course, with instant refusal on their part. They weren't here to hide, they were here to help, and the thought of waiting in the hotel room while Seto and Bakura left was enough to make Ryou's skin crawl. Fortunately, Seto had actually been on their side, pointing out it was unlikely two people would be enough, especially if Vivian had guards posted - and it was likely that she did. There wasn't enough time to recruit help from the palace even if Atemu would allow it, and Atemu needed to have a guard with him, so without anyone else to help them that meant Ryou, Malik and Jou were automatically part of the job.

Sadly, so far the job had been a study in patience and very little else. He still wasn't even sure what the plan was. Seto had spent most of the evening hunched over his laptop, typing furiously, and Bakura was staring at his cell phone like he could force it to ring through sheer strength of will alone. Jou was lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling, looking as bored as Ryou felt, and Malik was fidgeting, clearly out of sorts without Mariku around to distract him. It was probably more tempting than it should have been to make a loud noise and scare the daylights out of everyone.

"Seto," he said instead, waiting patiently until the man realized that he was being spoken to. The blue eyes that reluctantly glanced up at him looked cloudy and hazy, probably from staring at a computer screen for too long. "I know that we have to wait until Mariku sends the all clear, but could you at least explain what it is you intend for us to do once he does?"

Seto didn't respond for such a long time that Ryou started to think he wasn't going to answer at all. But then he straightened up and sighed, glancing over at Bakura. "I've looked at the blueprints that Honda e-mailed to me," he said at last. "Vivian's aunt and uncle were smart when they built the house - too smart. There aren't very many ways in short of knocking on the front door." He lifted his laptop and set it down on the table, then flipped it around so that they could see. "I suspect Yuugi is probably being held on the second or third floor. Miho gave us a room number, but there's a chance he'll have been moved by the time we get there."

Ryou studied the screen and the confusing mess of lines that Seto had been examining so intently. From what he could tell, the house seemed to be enormous and even included a basement or a cellar of some kind. "So what are you going to do, then?" he asked.

"Fortunately, he happens to have a professional thief in the employ," Bakura broke in. He was standing now and lightly tossing the cell phone from one hand to the other. There was a hard glint in his eyes. "I'm going to go in first and have a look at this place. Let me tell you, no matter what the blueprints say there is always room for human error. I doubt that the place is really as solid as it looks."

"I'll go with you," Ryou decided.

Bakura looked at him incredulously. "No, you're not. I work best alone."

"Too bad, because I'm going with you." Ryou wasn't sure why he was so determined to go. It was probably a bad idea, considering that he certainly did not have any experience in being a thief, and there was always a chance his presence might get them both caught. But in spite of that, there was no way Bakura was walking out the door without him. He set his jaw stubbornly, and Seto glanced between the two of them thoughtfully.

"You know, that may not be such a bad idea," he remarked.

"_What_?" Bakura yelped, outraged.

"It will give you back-up, Bakura. You might have been the thief king, but you haven't done that for years and you know it," Seto said. "You're used to working with Mariku, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to go alone. If something happens, you may not have a way of letting us know."

"I could come too," Malik offered eagerly.

"No, too many people and we run the risk of being seen too early. Bakura and Ryou will do." Seto nodded once and turned back to his computer, pointedly ignoring the sputters coming from Bakura.

"We'll text you," Ryou said to Jou and Malik, doing his best not to laugh. Bakura would never forgive him for the slight. He knew that Seto pulling rank had to be bothering him. Without Atemu, that meant Seto was in charge - but that didn't mean Bakura had to like it. He stood up and followed Bakura over to the door, glancing back to smile at his friends. Jou shot him a thumbs up, but Malik just looked wistful.

There was a heavy silence between the two of them as Bakura started the car. Ryou glanced at him, wondering if he would be like this the whole time. "Are you really that upset that I came?" he asked.

"Yes," Bakura muttered, stomping down on the accelerator so viciously that the car lurched forward. "You're not trained, and Vivian's men, idiotic as I expect they all are, will have been told that something like this was a possibility."

Ryou absorbed this silently, turning it over in his mind, and figured that there might be more to Bakura's reaction then he'd let on. "So you're worried that I'll be hurt," he said, biting his lip in a weak effort to hold back a smile.

The only response he received to that was a huffed exhale, which meant that Ryou was right. Touched, he reached over and squeezed Bakura's arm. "You don't have to worry about me, Bakura. I promise I'll stay back, alright? You can be the one who approaches the house. I just want to make sure that _you _don't end up being hurt. Vivian has proven that she's capable of some nasty surprises, after all."

"You should have just let me kill her when we had the chance," Bakura said.

At one time, Ryou would have reacted negatively to a statement like that. He would have scolded Bakura for even considering murder, mostly because he knew that Bakura wasn't joking around: he was completely serious. Now, of course, even knowing what he knew about Vivian he couldn't condone murder, but if there was ever a candidate… He closed his eyes and let out a slow sigh, wondering what continued exposure to Bakura had done to his mind, and said, "I'm sorry. If I had known what she was capable of at the time, I might have done more to stop her."

"You couldn't have done anything," he pointed out, sounding slightly mollified.

"No, but I could have warned Yuugi to be more careful. And maybe let you put her out of commission just a tiny bit," he allowed, a small smile tugging at his lips. He was pleased to note that Bakura couldn't hide his smirk, and he looked away to conceal his own grin. It made him feel ridiculously good to know that he had so much say over Bakura's actions: that the ex-thief would even be willing to listen to him about someone like Vivian. It spoke of a level of trust between them that Ryou hadn't been previously conscious of, but which was actually extremely pleasant. And it made him resolve to listen to Bakura more closely in the future so that a situation like this could be avoided. Murder was an extreme that was unnecessary, but certainly Vivian required a heavier hand than the one she'd been dealt so far.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, and when they were a couple of blocks away Bakura parked on the side of the road and got out. Silently, he pulled a sweatshirt on and tucked the hood up around his head before tossing a similar shirt to Ryou. The chill in the air was getting severe enough that Ryou didn't mind putting it on. He was careful to hide every inch of his hair as he fell into step behind Bakura. None of the people that they passed gave either of them a second glance, and it was surprisingly easy to make it all the way up to the house without anyone being the wiser. There, a few houses away, Bakura stopped him.

"Stay here," he commanded in a low tone. "Don't let anyone see you, got it?"

"Yes," Ryou said to empty space, because Bakura had disappeared somehow. He turned to look at the house, but it was mostly dark. The only lights were in the kitchen and one of the other downstairs rooms. If Yuugi was being held there, then he might be alone in the dark. Ryou's heart twisted at the thought and he hoped that wasn't the case.

It should have been boring, standing there waiting for Bakura to return, but it wasn't. Instead it was nerve wracking. He was standing in the shadows of a parked car, since there were no trees or bushes around for him to hide behind. Anyone glancing out their window would have assumed he was a shadow as long as he remained still. But he still couldn't escape the fact that he felt like he was being watched. He watched the house anxiously and jumped when a light went on in one of the rooms upstairs. He squinted at it until his eyes were aching, but it was impossible to make out any details.

"Come on, Bakura," he said under his breath after a good twenty minutes had passed.

His phone pinged. Ryou jumped again and swore under his breath, heart pounding. He fished his phone out from his pocket and glanced at the screen. The message was from Mariku, stating that he had visual confirmation of the fact that Vivian and Bandit Keith had been spotted at the restaurant. He breathed out slowly, relieved that at least that part of their plan appeared to be going well, and looked back at the house again. For about five minutes, nothing else changed. Then the front door opened, and Ryou blinked in astonishment.

It was Miho. She was standing on the doorstep looking around like she didn't have a care in the world. It took Ryou a full minute to realize that she was searching for him, and it only fully dawned on him when Miho's head turned in his direction and didn't move for several seconds, like she was trying to tell if it was really him. Finally, she waved. He remained where he was, though, not moving, too mindful of his promise to Bakura to risk it. Miho got more and more frustrated that he wasn't responding until she marched down the sidewalk and stormed over to him, seemingly heedless of the fact that she was barefoot.

"What are you doing? Didn't you see me waving?" she demanded, sounding irritable. "We're all waiting for you. Come on. Bakura is right inside."

Ryou hesitated. The thought occurred to him that, even though she had been pretending to help so far, Miho might have been setting a trap for him. But the look on her face was very earnest, and in spite of his better judgement he stepped forward and fell into pace behind her, up the walk and into the house, hoping that she wasn't actually leading him to his doom. As it turned out, as soon as he stepped inside the first person he saw was Bakura and that was a relief. The man was standing in the kitchen with his arms folded, wearing an annoyed expression.

"What's going on?" Ryou asked, looking between him and Miho.

"Oh, he's mad because I went ahead and deviated from the plan," said Miho. She didn't seem to be disturbed by the fact that Bakura was attempting to glare a hole through her head. "I'm basically the chef here. I can't cook anything too fancy, but I do what I can. Vivian left loads of guards behind when she left, probably because she anticipated you might try to free Yuugi, and every single one of them was all too happy to help me eat the extra large supper I made." Her smile was particularly devious. "The fact that I slipped in a harmless little something to make them sleep was an ingredient I didn't see the need to tell them about."

Ryou's mouth dropped open, and he stared at her in amazement. "Are you telling me that everyone here is _asleep_?" he said. When Miho nodded, a huge smile broke out across his face and he had to stop himself from giving her a hug. "That's perfect! Now we'll be able to get Yuugi out of here and no one will be the wiser."

"At least not until the guards wake up and Vivian hears about it," Bakura said, looking at Miho and Honda meaningfully.

"We knew the risks," said Honda, placing a hand on Miho's shoulder. "In this case, we decided together that it was worthwhile even if it means losing our jobs. What happened to Yuugi is not right."

There was something about the way he said that, it made Ryou's stomach clench. He surveyed their faces slowly, trying to figure out what made him feel so strange. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out, but eventually curiosity drove him to speak. "What do you mean? What happened to Yuugi?"

Honda and Miho looked at each other, and for a seemingly endless moment neither one of them spoke. Then Miho said hesitantly, "Vivian decided that she needed some extra incentive to convince Atemu that he was going to have to go along with her plan. She sent Bandit Keith up there to work Yuugi over." Her face darkened with anger. "It was awful. I don't understand how you could be so cruel to someone who can't defend themselves. I went up afterwards and I did what I could, but I think he needs to see a doctor."

"Fortunately we have one on hand," Bakura said, nodding his head at Ryou. Ryou stared back at him, frozen, certain that he must have misinterpreted Bakura's comment. He wasn't a doctor. He hadn't even got all the way through medical school. But Bakura shot him a quick look, cool and calm, and added, "We'll have to move quickly. My car is parked a few blocks over. You go get it while Ryou and I get Yuugi ready to go." He tossed the keys to Honda.

"I'll take you upstairs," Miho said to Ryou. "Come on."

There didn't seem to be anything else to do but to fall into step behind her, even though Ryou wasn't sure that this was actually the best course of action. His heart was racing as he climbed the stairs, and he jumped when he realized that there were actually unconscious bodies at the top of the steps. The guards had merely fallen over where they stood. Anyone stumbling onto the gruesome scene might have thought that they had met untimely ends, but even from where he was standing Ryou could tell that they were breathing. He didn't bother to stop and check them over. He kept following Miho down to the end of the hall and then up another flight, past more guards, and to the end of another hall. Only then did she stop.

"He's in there," she said quietly, indicating a door with a nervous flutter of her fingers. "I stole the key from one of the guards.

He took the key and advanced towards the door. It was an appallingly simple lock, one that Bakura would have been able to pick with no problem, and it opened easily. Ryou pushed the door open and immediately spotted his friend. Bile rose in his throat at the sight of the bruises that he could see even from where he was. He stepped cautiously into the room and moved quickly over to the bed, but he didn't dare reach out and touch Yuugi just yet. Not when it looked like a single touch might be enough to damage Yuugi permanently, if that hadn't been done already.

"We need to go to the hospital," he said numbly, grabbing for his phone. He was surprised to see that there was a text waiting for him from Mariku. It read that Bandit Keith had left the restaurant, and it was dated almost an hour ago. But how…? Quickly he flipped back to the other message, realizing too late that it had been _delayed_. The first message had actually been sent nearly two hours ago and hadn't come through when it was supposed to. Bandit Keith could be... He swallowed hard, hearing the creak of footsteps and a faint clicking sound behind him. "We might have a problem."

"Oh, I think you do," Bandit Keith said pleasantly.

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Please review!


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews - hope this chapter clarifies things a bit. Enjoy!

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Aknamkanon was not a foolish man. He knew that something was wrong. Atemu could feel his father's concerned gaze trying to stare through him: clearly Aknamkanon was hoping that he could figure his son out through sheer strength of will. Vivian, however, was apparently oblivious to the underlying tension that surrounded father and son, though not to the point where she was willing to leave them alone. And unfortunately, Aknamkanon was far too polite to ask her to leave, which was a real shame because he was probably the only person in the world who could have pried Vivian away from the table at that moment.

The conversation remained stilted and awkward, with Vivian and Aknamkanon carrying most of it while Atemu sipped at his water glass and tried to pretend that this whole miserable experience was not actually happening. He glanced around the room, searching for Mariku. There was no sign of his bodyguard, but that in itself was almost comforting: he knew that there was no way that Mariku would have left him alone. No doubt Mariku was hidden somewhere in the room, closely watching their table just in case.

After the waitress had come and gone with their orders, Atemu reached for his glass again. Realizing that a sudden silence had overtaken the table, he looked around. Vivian was frowning in confusion, but Aknamkanon was staring at his hand, frozen, his wine glass inches away from his mouth. Atemu realized too late that he was using the hand that he had once worn his ring on. The fact that the ring was missing was blatantly obvious; his skin had been tanned by the sun while he was wearing it and there was now a thin white line left behind.

"Atemu…" Aknamkanon said, his voice hushed, and he looked at Vivian in open amazement. Vivian frowned even harder and looked between them, trying to figure out what had turned the tide of their conversation. Sadly, it only took her a moment to spot what had disturbed Aknamkanon so much and her mouth dropped open. It was almost worth not being able to give the others any more time to see her look of shock, and now that it was out Atemu couldn't resist sending her a smirk.

"Yes, Father. I told you I would not return to Egypt without having found my partner," Atemu said quietly, wiggling his pinkie for emphasis.

"So then…" Aknamkanon trailed off, clearly not wanting to finish his sentence.

"Yes!" Vivian said quickly, her cheeks flushed - though whether it was with excitement or rage, it was hard to tell.

"No," Atemu said just as firmly, shooting her a dark look. "No, I made it clear that I was not interested in Vivian romantically and that has not changed. We are never getting back together. But I _have_ given my ring away. It belongs now to a young man that I met while I was in Japan."

Aknamkanon studied his son for a long moment. He could see the signs of love as clearly as though someone had written it across Atemu's forehead in black ink. Something in his eyes softened. "Tell me about him," he requested.

"His name is Yuugi, and he lives with his grandfather. They own a shop together," Atemu explained. Just thinking about Yuugi was helping to release the tension that had been building up in his shoulders. It felt like a huge relief to finally be able to tell his father about the boy he was in love with. "He is - unlike anyone that I have ever met before. Yuugi sees the good in everyone, even those who may not deserve it." He sent a pointed look in Vivian's direction. "He gives everyone an equal chance."

For a couple of minutes Aknamkanon did not speak. His eyes flicked back and forth between Vivian, who looked furious, and Atemu. "I'm curious to meet him," he said at last. "He must be a truly intriguing young man if you were willing to give your ring to him. For a while there I thought that it may never happen. Where is he? And why are you here with Vivian?"

"That's a long story," Atemu said with a cold smile at Vivian.

"Indeed it is," she broke in hastily, turning towards the pharaoh. "Your highness, I feel I must tell you that the person Atemu is talking about is not the man your son is making him out to be."

"Is that so?" Aknamkanon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No it's not!" Atemu exclaimed, furious. "Father, Vivian has -"

"I've been trying to make sure that Atemu is as taken care of as possible, but he has not helped me out at all," Vivian said, speaking too quickly for Atemu to break in. "Do you know that Atemu met him on a show designed to bring together two random people and force them to fall in love? It was pure chance that this boy was the one who was paired up with Atemu, and I have reason to believe that Atemu is infatuated and that once he's had some time away from this man he'll realize what he really wants. I have always been good for your son, you know. That's why I brought him back to Egypt, so that he could get the distance he needs."

All Atemu was supposed to do was distract Vivian. Keep her in the restaurant as long as possible, even if that meant dangling the idea of marriage in front of her face. But at that moment, he realized that he could not sit there with her for even a second longer. He had not known that it was possible to hate someone so much that murder actually began to seem like a viable option but here they were, and if he had to sit here and listen to Vivian talk that way about Yuugi for one more minute he was going to pick up his steak knife and put it right between her vapid eyes. There must have been something of his rage showing in his expression because she recoiled slightly and went suddenly silent.

Vivian, he thought somewhat clinically, was her own worst enemy. If she hadn't brought those pictures - if she hadn't invited Aknamkanon along - if she hadn't provoked him past the point where he could stand here and take it - if. If. If. And now her whole stupid plan was about to blow up in her stupid face, and all Atemu could hope as he stood up was that his friends had already made it to Yuugi and that all of them were safe back at the hotel. If something happened to Yuugi or any of them because he couldn't hold his temper back, he would never forgive himself, and he was all too aware of that fact as he clenched a shaking fist.

"I have put up with enough of your nonsense over the past several weeks, Vivian Wong. You have stalked me, threatened my friends, and kidnapped someone who is innocent just because you are so fucking _desperate_," Atemu said. Every word was spoken with a cold fury that radiated, silencing Vivian before she could open her mouth. "You are not going to be the queen of Egypt. I will never marry you. In fact, as far as I am concerned when I become pharaoh you will not be permitted in Egypt at all, and if I ever see you within the bounds of my land I will have you persecuted to the fullest extent of our laws." His smile was full of dark, cold promise. "If you are smart, you will make sure that we never get you alone."

"Atemu!" Aknamkanon exclaimed, stunned, but Atemu didn't bother to listen. He turned on his heel and started to make his way towards the doors. He wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not that Vivian rushed after him and grabbed his arm.

"You don't understand!" she said, her voice low and frantic. "Everything I did was for _you_."

"No, it was for you." Atemu jerked his arm roughly, yanking himself from her grasp. "Stay away from me, Vivian. Don't contact me. Don't threaten my friends. And do not even _look_ in Yuugi's direction. I've reached my limit when it comes to how much of your bullshit I can take."

Vivian's mouth firmed into a thin line, and her eyes were wild and desperate. "I'll kill him," she hissed. "You can say good-bye to your little boyfriend, Atemu."

Atemu's heart was pounding so hard that it actually hurt. "Enough, Vivian," he said, suddenly tired. "Just… enough, alright? It's over." He turned on his heel and walked out of the restaurant. As soon as he was outside he was struck by the enormity of what he'd just done, and a wave of dizziness came over him. A familiar hand grasped his arm before his knees could give out, and Mariku ended up half-carrying him over to one of the nearby benches.

"That was fantastic," he said appreciatively, dropping down onto the seat beside Atemu. He put a hand on the back of the prince's neck and guided Atemu's head down until it was comfortably ensconced between his knees. "Stay there, like that. I don't want you passing out on me."

It took a couple of minutes for the head rush to pass, and by the time it did Atemu was left feeling shaky and weak. He sat up slowly, realizing that three days with very little sleep and too much adrenaline were finally taking their toll, and smiled wanly at his friend. "I know I was supposed to distract her for longer than that. But I just couldn't sit there and listen to her go on for any longer, especially once Father noticed that my ring was gone."

"I don't blame you," Mariku said. "I was close enough that I could hear most of what she said. You should've punched her in the face."

Atemu laughed. It felt good. "I wanted to," he confessed. That was easily the closest he had ever come to losing his composure in the middle of a public place. As a matter of fact, the things he had said would likely do more damage to his reputation than if he had punched her. Maybe he should've taken his chance and done it while she was too shocked to respond.

"I can go back in and take care of it. You know, if you want me to." Mariku's grin was quick, and Atemu laughed again. He was still chuckling when the door to the restaurant opened and his father walked out. Vivian was conspicuously absent, and Atemu had to wonder what she had told the pharaoh. Knowing Vivian, her mind was probably working over time to find a way to explain this that didn't cast her in a negative light. He looked over at Mariku and sighed.

"Time to face the music, I guess," he said. "Have you… heard anything?"

Mariku shook his head. "Not yet. Last I heard Seto, Jou and Malik were heading over to the house. But that was at least an hour ago, and I haven't heard anything since. I thought about calling, but if they're in hiding…" He trailed off and shrugged apologetically. There had just been far too many times when the ringing of a phone would have got him and Bakura killed for him to take that risk.

"No, you should use your best judgement." Atemu sighed and rubbed his head as he stood up. Even though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he walked over to his father. Aknamkanon was standing beneath the awning of the restaurant, surrounded by a group of bodyguards that Atemu knew his father trusted with his life. For that reason, he did not hesitate to speak around them. It would be best to start with an apology, so… "I'm sorry, Father. I should have handled that better."

"I have not seen you lose your temper like that since shortly before you left," said Aknamkanon. Much to Atemu's surprise, there was a hint of amusement in his face. "I wasn't aware that anyone else besides me had the ability to make you so angry."

Atemu blinked at that and then smiled cautiously. "I - usually there isn't. Vivian is an exception to the rule," he replied. He wasn't quite sure what was going on. From the moment he was born, he had been carefully schooled in what was and wasn't appropriate to do and/or say in public. It had become even more critical as he grew older and got more exposure - image was, after all, everything when you were a prince - and he was fully expecting for Aknamkanon to be furious that he'd lost his temper. He had no idea where this amusement was coming from.

"So I hear. I assume that there is more to the story that I haven't been made aware of."

"Well, yes."

Aknamkanon studied his son for a very long time. His expression was unreadable as he said, "I would like to hear it, Atemu. And I would like very much to be able to meet the man you have given your ring to. When you're ready, will you both come to the palace?"

It took a couple of seconds for this to sink in, and when it did Atemu had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping. Aknamkanon wasn't demanding an explanation right away? He was trusting Atemu to handle this? "I - yes, I will," he said finally when he'd recovered enough to speak. He recalled the pictures that Vivian had shown him and added, "But it - it might be a while, Father."

"That's alright. I think you're old enough for me to trust that you know what you're doing," said the pharaoh. "In the meantime, I believe that Vivian will return to the palace with me. I have already had someone put in a phone call to her parents. It seems that all of us are long overdue for a talk." His smile, this time, was merciless. "Do not worry, my son. She will be leaving Egypt shortly, and this time I will make sure that she is fully aware that she is not welcome back."

The relief that flooded through Atemu was so powerful his knees almost buckled. "Thank you," he said, and he meant it. He turned without waiting for Aknamkanon to respond and ran back to Mariku. "Come on, we've got to hurry."

"We're going out to the house?" Mariku said, an expression of ruthless excitement flashing across his face. He didn't wait for Atemu to respond, but darted over to where they had parked the car. For once, Atemu didn't protest when Mariku got into the driver's seat. Even if it meant they would be breaking every speed limit, he didn't care as long as they got to the house as soon as possible.

**YY**

The house looked deceptively silent as Jou, Seto and Malik pulled up in front of it. They'd received the text message confirmation from Mariku not that long ago, and Seto - who had been looking tenser by the minute - had not protested them leaving immediately. He had, however, stopped Malik from trying to text Ryou, pointing out it wouldn't be safe unless they knew for sure that Bakura and Ryou had their phones on silent. So they were basically heading into this encounter blind. Normally Malik wouldn't have cared, but there was something about the situation that was setting his nerves on edge.

"This doesn't feel right," Jou said softly, his voice barely audible. He was sitting beside Seto in the front seat, and he leaned forward to look through the windshield. There were no visible lights on. For all they knew, the house had been abandoned. "Do you think that they're alright?"

"It's hard to say. I find it strange that we haven't heard from Bakura yet," Seto admitted, turning the car off. He removed the keys and slipped them into the pocket of his coat before taking his seatbelt off. He didn't move, though. "I thought that he would be waiting for us when we got here. I hope that he hasn't done anything stupid."

"Bakura? Do something stupid? Perish the thought," said Malik, unable to stop the faint smirk. Bakura was a lot of things, but patient was not one of them, especially when Ryou was involved. Not for the first time, he thought that it was probably a mistake to have allowed Ryou to go along. But it was too late to do anything about it now. If their friends weren't around, it was likely a safe bet to assume that they were inside. Malik pushed the door open and got out.

"Malik!" Seto hissed.

"I'm not waiting around here to see what happens." Malik didn't even wait to hear Seto's reply. Instead of going straight up the front walk, he moved towards the side of the house where there were more shadows to keep him hidden. He heard the car doors open behind him, and then Jou jogged over. A few seconds later, Seto joined them. He did not look happy, but Malik didn't care.

They had studied the blueprints well enough to know that there weren't many entrances into the house, and Malik thought he knew which one Bakura would have used. On the first floor there was a bathroom with a window, and it was tucked towards the back of the house where they would be less chance of anyone hearing. He crouched down and scurried over to the window as fast as he dared. It was open just enough for a body to fit through, and as a bonus it was covered by a dark curtain. Malik reached up and grabbed the sill, flailed for a moment, and swallowed when two pairs of hands gripped his ankles and hoisted him up. He tumbled gracelessly onto the bathroom floor, and as he sat up first Jou and then Seto followed.

"Ready?" Jou whispered, holding out a hand to help him up. Malik gripped it and stood, wincing slightly as he stepped on his right ankle, and watched as Seto disregarded them both as he stepped forward through the door.

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Please review!


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N:** I'd say enjoy, but… yeah.

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The back of Ryou's head hurt. A lot. He opened his eyes slowly, realizing that he was sitting on a hard, cold surface with no memory of how he'd got there. His bottom had gone numb, and his legs tingled painfully when he tried to move. When he tried to lift his head the room spun, and it took almost a full minute before he felt oriented enough to open his eyes again. Concussion, he thought automatically, blinking rapidly. That would explain the blurred vision and the fact that he was finding it difficult to focus. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then made a second attempt, moving a lot slower. This time he was able to raise his head a few inches, just enough to get a good look at what was going on.

Bandit Keith was standing in the middle of the room, holding a gun. Yuugi was sitting in front of him, hands and feet bound. For the first time, Ryou realized that his own hands and feet were tied as well. There was no sign of Bakura, Miho or Honda. He must have made some sort of sound at the realization because Bandit Keith turned around and glanced at him. "Well, well, look who's awake," he said with a smirk. "I have to say, I was surprised to see _you _hanging around. I thought you would've learned your lesson after Duelist Kingdom. But I guess not." He casually cocked the gun in his hand. "Do you see the consequences that you have to pay when you start snooping around?"

"Let me go," Ryou said hoarsely, wincing slightly. His throat was painfully dry, and talking hurt. "When you get caught, you're going to be in so much trouble you can't even begin to imagine. Don't make it any harder on yourself than it already is."

He started laughing. It was a chilling sound. "Oh come on, kid, you got to do better than that. Do you think I don't know who this kid is?" He waved the gun behind him in Yuugi's general direction. "Not only is he the little brat who beat Pegasus, but he's the one the prince has been dating. I know perfectly well what kind of "trouble" I would be in." He made air quotes with his fingers as he spoke. "But that's the thing. I'm never going to have to face up, and do you know why? Because I'm _smart_."

"Could have fooled me," Ryou said without thinking, and then shrank backwards when Bandit Keith surged towards him.

"Think you're funny, do you? I got a comedian on my hands?" he hissed, gripping a handful of Ryou's hair and yanking it brutally as he dragged Ryou closer. "Listen to me, you little bitch. Your boyfriend is dead. I put the bullet in him myself. And once I kill you and that other little brat, I'm out of here. I've got plans set up. I don't need Vivian's help to get out of the country. All I needed her for was to get my hands on that punk, and she did that. I got what I wanted, and I don't need her anymore."

If Ryou had thought he was feeling ill before, it was nothing compared to how he was feeling now. He couldn't stop looking at the gun in Bandit Keith's hand. Had he really used that weapon to kill Bakura? Was he going to do the same now to him and Yuugi? Would it hurt? He tried not to show his fear, but it was hard. "I still don't think you'll get away with this. Vivian is with Atemu right now. There's no way he's going to just let her walk away after what she's done, you know. And if she goes down, there's no doubt in my mind that she's going to take you with her. Vivian's not the kind of person who would cover for you, believe me."

"I'll be so far away by then that it won't even matter," Bandit Keith replied, smirking. "I told you I got a plan in place, and it's a good one." He started to lift the gun, pointing it at Ryou. "I think I'll let you chose whether or not you go first."

There was a knock on the door. Ryou could have cried with relief as it opened and a tall, husky man with hair standing up in spikes poked his head in. "Hey, Boss. There's a few more people just entered the house through the bathroom window downstairs. What do you want us to do with them?"

"Who is it, Satake?" demanded Bandit Keith.

"I think it's Kaiba with a couple of the kid's friends. You want we should take care of them? I thought you might want to handle it yourself."

"It_ would_ be good to be able to take care of the whole bunch at once. Then my revenge would really be complete." He smirked at Ryou. "You take care of Kaiba. I'm going to deal with the other two. And you, little lamb," he leaned down and pressed the cold barrel of the gun against Ryou's face, grinning when Ryou flinched backwards, "you wait here. I'll be right back."

The door swung shut behind the two of them. For a couple of minutes, Ryou didn't move. He felt like he couldn't breathe. The chill on his cheek continued to burn even though the gun was no longer pressed against him, and he shivered hard. "God, what have we gotten ourselves into this time?" he muttered, looking across the room at his friend. The whole time Bandit Keith had been talking, Yuugi hadn't moved. He knew Yuugi wasn't dead, but he didn't look well either. How long had he been unconscious for?

Grimly, Ryou began to examine his bonds. He was tied up with coarse rope which was already chafing painfully against the delicate flesh of his wrist and ankles. The knots were tight, and no amount of squirming loosened them even a little. It only caused his skin to become rubbed raw. Frustrated, he stopped and sank back against the wall, breathing heavily. There had to be a better way to get free, but what? The room they were in appeared to be some sort of storage space, but it was literally empty of everything except for Ryou and Yuugi. There wasn't even any furniture, much less something sharp he could use to cut himself free with.

Now that he was no longer moving, thoughts of Bakura flooded his mind. Ryou closed his eyes against the wave of burning tears threatening him. It couldn't be true. Bakura couldn't be dead. He had to believe that Bandit Keith was lying and find some way to warn his friends about what was coming. If it really was Seto, then that most likely meant that Jou and Malik were with him - it was unlikely that Atemu and Mariku would have been finished at the restaurant so quickly. God he hoped that three of them were more careful than he and Bakura had been. If only there _was_ some way to warn them… but how? Ryou looked around again. The only thing he had to work with was his body, and really that was obvious enough. He lifted his legs and let them fall against the floor with a dull, heavy _thump_.

It was hard work to keep lifting his legs without any support, and before long his thighs were burning from the exertion. He allowed them to fall one last time and then paused, straining his ears for any hint of sound within the house. All was, frustratingly enough, quiet. He couldn't tell if he was helping or not, and he was too tired to keep it up. He looked over at Yuugi, half-hoping that his friend would have stirred at the sounds, but Yuugi's eyes were still shut and his breathing was deep and slow. That was worrying. He'd been making enough of a racket for the neighbours to file a noise complaint.

"God damn it," Ryou muttered, bracing his shoulders against the wall. He managed to awkwardly twist his lower half around until he was on his knees and could shuffle across to Yuugi's side. He bent over his friend, noting the fresh, livid bruising around Yuugi's neck and face, and performed the best examination that he could with his hands tied behind his back. It didn't seem like there was any extensive damage - no hits on the head that Ryou could see. Surely Yuugi wasn't just _sleeping_?

"Yuugi, Yuugi, can you hear me?" he asked urgently.

At the sound of his voice, Yuugi stirred a little. His nose twitched when Ryou's hair brushed over his cheek, and he sluggishly turned his head away. That allowed Ryou to see the splotch of blood on the back of his head and yeah, okay, a doctor was definitely in order as soon as possible… if Bandit Keith didn't kill them both first, of course. He sighed and glanced back down at his friend's body, noting that Yuugi's hands were also tied behind his back. It would be awkward to attempt to untie him, but if he did and Yuugi woke up then they'd have a chance at getting out. Ryou twisted around and set to work.

**YY**

The three of them were not alone. Seto was not wholly sure how he knew that, but he did. The knowledge sat cold and hard in his stomach, and he threw out an arm to stop Malik and Jou from walking any further down the hall. They had been wrong to come here without a weapon, without back-up. He knew that as surely as he knew that someone was lying in wait for them. He regretted not having called in some of his personal men no matter how much longer it would've taken, because there were few things worse than knowing that they were willingly walking into a trap.

Jou's fingers touched his arm, a silent query, and Seto glanced over his shoulder. He did not need to put a finger to his mouth to get his point across, but he did it anyway: a warning to not voice a single word. Malik swallowed and Jou nodded sombrely, muscles tensing in preparation. Seto took a deep, nearly inaudible breath and tried to decide what the best course of action would be. His original plan had been to search for Bakura, Ryou and Yuugi, but now that would have to be temporarily put aside. He wasn't stupid enough to think that they would be getting out of here without a fight of some kind.

In spite of that, the muffled retort of a gunshot was still unexpected. Seto froze, staring at the spot on the frame of the door just in front of him that was now missing a sizeable chunk of wood. Beyond that, coming from the next room, he heard laughter. "You might as well come out. We know you're there."

"Takaido," Jou hissed, stiffening behind him. "I'd recognize that loser's voice anywhere."

"If he's here, I bet Satake and Ghost are with him," Malik muttered. He looked as annoyed as Jou. "And Bandit Keith too, they never go anywhere without him."

"I assume they're not friends of yours," said Seto, keeping a close eye on the door.

"Hardly. Bandit Keith had three friends to do his dirty work while we were at Duelist Kingdom. He was determined to keep Yuugi from reaching the castle and did everything he could to try and stop us," Jou explained in a rapid, quiet whisper. "They were just regular duellists, not very good at the game, but they're physically strong and stupid."

"Get out here!" Takaido yelled again. "I swear if you don't come out here in the next five minutes I'm coming in to get you, and someone's going to get shot if I have to."

There was something about the way Jou spoke that set off warning bells in Seto's mind. He tensed slightly, realizing that there was more to this history than he was being told. Later, when they were not in danger of being shot, he would sit Jou down and get the full story from him. For now, he cautiously edged his way forward. He was prepared for the possibility that he might be shot as soon as he stepped into view, but surprisingly it didn't happen. He found himself facing two men. One was tall, with messy brown hair and small glasses, the other surprisingly short and extremely pale: it was easy to see where he'd earned the nickname "Ghost".

"Stand over there," Ghost ordered, indicating the far wall. He was also holding a gun, though it looked too big for his small hands. He seemed to know how to wield it, though. Seto did as he was told and was relieved to see that Jou and Malik also obeyed the command without protest.

"Well, well, if it isn't Katsuya," Takaido said with a broad smirk, relaxing once the three were gathered near the wall. "I was wondering when we'd have the chance to see your face again. Maybe this time I'll get to put a hole in it." He held up the gun and clicked the safety on and off. "I bet it would go a long way towards improving your features."

"You're one to talk," Jou replied. "It's a sad day when Ghost is actually more attractive than you are."

Takaido's grin tightened and he let out a short breath. "You little -"

"Takaido, don't." The voice was male and deep and followed by two sets of footsteps. Seto recognized him from the pictures as soon as Bandit Keith walked into the room. He was followed by another man with a gun, which meant that it was four against three. Not the kind of odds that Seto was fond of. Bandit Keith came halfway into the room, paused, and looked them up and down. Evidently he liked what he saw because his mouth split into a smirk and he let out a low laugh.

"What shall we do with them, then?" Takaido asked. It was obvious that that he was dying to deal out a little pain, regardless of whether it was done with his fists or his gun.

"Those two are mine," Bandit Keith said with a sharp nod towards Jou and Malik. "I've been waiting for the opportunity to get a little of my own back ever since you losers fucked everything up for me last time. I'm going to take you all upstairs and make you watch while I kill you off one by one. You three can do whatever you want with Kaiba as long as you make sure that it's painful." His eyes were shining with a sick sense of excitement. "Satake, get some more rope."

Satake smirked and moved to do just that, tucking his gun into the waistband of his jeans. Seto had to bite back the urge to call him an idiot for being so careless and hoped that he tripped: it would be just as well if he did and ended up shooting his own leg off. It would save them the trouble. He watched as the man returned with rope and passed some of it off to Ghost, who went over to Malik and roughly jerked Malik's arms behind his back. Satake went to Jou and, after studying Jou's clenched jaw, punched the blond in the stomach. Jou doubled over with a pained gasp and Satake gripped his wrists.

Seto controlled the instinctive jerk towards Jou, knowing that it would do him no good when both Bandit Keith and Takaido were pointing guns at them. "You know that the pharaoh will have you hung for this," he said instead, relishing the idea.

"He's got to find me first," said Bandit Keith. "I've got plane tickets out of here."

"They won't do you much good," Seto muttered, his eyes sweeping the space behind Bandit Keith and Takaido. From overhead there was a sudden loud thumping, and both Bandit Keith and Takaido jumped. The split second that they were off guard was opportunity enough. Seto leapt forward and tackled Bandit Keith. He lost track of what was happening with the others after that, as Bandit Keith proved to be much stronger than Seto had given him credit for.

He rolled as they hit the ground, trying to get on top, fighting for possession of the weapon. Bandit Keith snarled and punched him in the face with his left hand, clutching the gun even more tightly with his right. But because the punch had come from his less dominant hand it was noticeably weaker, and Seto was able to shake it off after a moment's daze. He brought one of his knees up and slammed it into Bandit Keith's stomach, fully enjoying the choked off gasp that resulted. It allowed him to get a hand around the gun and he tugged, trying to pry it free.

"Fuck off, you bastard!" Bandit Keith wheezed. It was probably meant to sound far more threatening than it did, but he was too breathless to be able to put any real malice behind the statement.

"Give me the gun!" Seto retorted, gritting his teeth when Bandit Keith punched him for a second time in the ribs. It hurt, but he was able to ignore the pain. He strained, trying to get a better grip. Bandit Keith's fingers were close to the trigger - too close, he thought, easily seeing a future wherein the gun went off accidentally. Grunting with effort, he twisted his hand and stopped trying to hold on, and he could feel the moment when Bandit Keith overcompensated and jerked too hard, sending the gun spinning across the floor.

Jou picked it up and, in one smooth movement, brought it around to point directly at Bandit Keith. "Enough!" he said, his voice shaking. "Or I swear to god I'll shoot you."

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**A/N:** As you may have guessed, Satake, Takaido and "Ghost" Kotsuzuka are the three idiots who were Bandit Keith's groupies in Duelist Kingdom. Their dubbed names were Zygor, Sid and "Ghost" Bonz respectively.

Please review!


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N:** It's just a guess, but I think y'all are going to like this part. Enjoy!

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Ghost's hands were cold, Malik noticed distantly, and they were shaking, fumbling to get a good grip on the rope. It would have been pitifully easy to turn on him, but he was keenly aware of the gun tracking his every move. Besides, he was far more interested in watching Seto, which meant that he saw the moment that Seto looked around the room, so calmly you wouldn't have even guessed he was doing it for any particular reason, and then shifted his weight. A loud thumping sound from above gave him the opportunity he needed: he leapt forward and tackled Bandit Keith at the same time that Bakura appeared out of nowhere and took down Takaido.

"Where the fuck did he come from?" Satake shouted in alarm, whirling around. It was the decision that proved to be his undoing, as he let go of Jou's ropes when he spun. In one smooth move that contained entirely too much pleasure, Jou turned on his heel and punched Satake in the face as hard as he could. Malik watched in amusement as the man hit the floor, out cold from just one blow.

The hands scrabbling with his ropes paused, and then Ghost said, "Stop or I'll shoot you!"

"No, you won't," Malik said, and he reached out behind him and easily hooked his leg around Ghost's ankles. The startled squeak he got as a response when Ghost hit the floor was fairly fulfilling. Jou seized the ropes that had slipped easily off of his wrists and quickly but expertly tied Ghost's hands and feet until he didn't have a hope of moving. Then he turned towards Seto and Bandit Keith and Bakura and Takaido. He hesitated for a split second, not knowing who to help.

"Seto!" Bakura shouted, elbowing Takaido in the face. The man fell back with a howl just as the gun that Seto and Bandit Keith had been fighting over went spinning across the floor. Jou leapt forward and grabbed it, hefting it up and turning to face the two men on the floor.

"Enough!" he said, his voice shaking. He was clearly trying to sound calm, but Malik could see the stress in his face. "Or I swear to god I'll shoot you."

Bandit Keith froze. He was missing his bandanna, and he had to push a handful of his blond hair out of his face before he could get a good look at Jou. "Oh, you really think you're going to shoot me?" he asked, rolling his eyes. He didn't look nearly as brave as he sounded. "You don't have the guts."

"He doesn't, but I do," Seto replied, disentangling himself from Bandit Keith. He stood up and stretched a hand towards Jou, a wordless request for the weapon. Jou handed the gun over without hesitation. Bandit Keith started to speak, his mouth opening, and didn't get the chance to finish. Seto struck him solidly across the temple with the handle of the gun and he toppled over, unconscious.

"About time," Bakura said. He'd taken care of Takaido while the others were occupied, having trussed him up so neatly that there wasn't a hope in hell of Takaido escaping. "What were you waiting for?"

"I was trying to not actually kill him. Though at the moment, I'm trying to remember why." Seto touched his right cheek, which was developing a very lovely bruise that was spreading over the lower half of his face.

"Um," Malik said. He was still standing there with his arms tied, but that wasn't what he was really concerned about. The others didn't seem to have noticed, but the thumping noises from upstairs had stopped. He wasn't sure what the cause was, but if there was a chance it was Ryou or Yuugi... "I'm glad we're all okay, but I think someone should probably go upstairs."

For a moment, three faces just stared blankly at him. Then Jou and Bakura took off up the stairs at the same time, so quickly that Malik was left blinking at the spot where they had been. Seto sighed, and, although it was obvious he would have preferred to follow and see what was going on for himself, he remained behind to untie Malik and then tie up Bandit Keith. He seemed to take a special pleasure out of making Bandit Keith's knots so tight that there was no chance he would be able to get free. Malik thought that he probably should have protested, but it hardly seemed to be worth the effort.

"We'll put them in the closet and shut the door, then lock it," Seto told him. Malik nodded and grabbed Bandit Keith's shoulders. Seto took his legs, and they lifted together in an awkward stagger towards the hall closet. The door was open and inside were Miho and Honda, tied up and unconscious.

"Good gods," Malik muttered, dropping Bandit Keith on the floor and darting inside. He bent over Miho and realized that she had been bound with handcuffs instead of rope. A quick examination of Takaido revealed a key, a small silvery thing that unlocked the cuffs binding both of them with no problem. Neither of them stirred, and Malik checked to make sure they were both still breathing. He breathed an audible sigh of relief at the realization that they were. Drugged? Or knocked unconscious? He wasn't sure which would be worse.

Seto bent down and picked up another couple pairs of handcuffs that were lying on the floor. "At least now we know how Bakura got loose," he said. "They should've known better than to use something like this on the thief king. Bakura would've picked these in no time."

"He can do that?" Malik said, impressed. It sounded like a handy skill to have. He wondered if Bakura or Mariku would be willing to teach him.

"There are a lot of things that Bakura can do that aren't strictly legal," Seto replied wryly, hooking the cuffs to his belt. "Just because he's in Atemu's employ doesn't mean he's forgotten them."

Malik hid a grin at the long-suffering tone. He suspected that Seto had a lot of experience at being the victim of Bakura's 'special skills'. He started to respond, but paused at a sound coming from somewhere outside the house. Recognizing it as a door opening, he looked up at Seto. Clearly Seto had heard the sound as well because he'd gone tense, and he bent down to grab the gun that Satake had carelessly stuck in his waistband. He strode back into the living room, ready to meet any reinforcements. As it turned out, it was unnecessary: back-up had come, but not for Bandit Keith and his friends.

"Mariku!" Malik cried, launching himself out of the closet the second he recognized the face of his lover. Mariku caught him and brought him close, hugging him tightly while Malik clung to him. He was relieved to see that Mariku was alright, that the meeting at the restaurant hadn't been some sort of ambush after all.

"Where's Vivian?" Seto asked, lowering the gun to his side.

"With my father," said Atemu, his gaze quickly taking in the scene. There was a flash of satisfaction in his crimson eyes when he caught sight of Bandit Keith. He looked back at his cousin. "Things didn't go quite as well as I would have hoped and I tried to distract Vivian as long as I could, but it seems that the fact that we didn't stay any longer was a blessing in disguise. Is everyone alright?"

"Minor injuries," Seto said dismissively. "But… I can't speak for everyone."

Atemu's jaw visibly tightened. "I see. You can call in your men now, Seto." And he walked towards the stairs without waiting for Seto to say anything else. Malik, after one last comforting squeeze, hurried after him. He wanted to make sure that his friends were going to be okay.

**YY**

Bakura did not easily tolerate stupidity, and in this case, when the cause of it was himself, he dealt with it even more poorly. He took the stairs two at a time, silently berating himself for not having checked the house more thoroughly when they first arrived. Miho and Honda had assured him that it was empty, but as it turned out they'd been wrong: he and Honda had been ambushed by Bandit Keith's idiotic friends. The one saving grace was that Satake had been stupid enough to use handcuffs on him, apparently not realizing that the thief king would have long ago learned how to pick the locks on every cuff on the market.

He'd timed his escape well, leaving an unconscious Miho and Honda in the closet where they would be safe and only revealing his presence when he had the help necessary to take care of their attackers. Now, for the first time since he'd been caught, he allowed himself to think about Ryou. The boy had been conspicuously missing from the closet when Bakura had woken up, and there was no denying the alarm that had been pounding through his body at the realization. He had done his best not to consider the sort of things that could be done to someone as defenceless as Ryou, and now he vowed that if Bandit Keith had done even one of them the man would pay twice over.

"Down there," Jou said tensely, pointing to the door at the end of the hall. Bakura didn't spare him a second look as they sprinted down the corridor and threw the door open.

In the middle of the room, Ryou spun around. His eyes were wide and frightened as he gasped. Bakura took in the scene rapidly and realized that Ryou's hands had been roughly bound behind his back. His ankles were also tied, leaving him on his knees. He was awkwardly slumped over Yuugi's body, and it looked like he had been trying to untie Yuugi. There was bruising on his face and dried blood staining his soft white hair, but overall he appeared to be unharmed and Bakura felt something wound tight inside of him beginning to uncoil.

"Bakura," Ryou whispered.

He couldn't speak. He stepped into the room and strode over to Ryou, vaguely aware that Jou was hurrying over to check on Yuugi. A quick inspection of the rope binding Ryou's wrists and ankles told him that they would need to be cut loose, as the knots had tightened to the point where it would hurt Ryou more if he tried to untie them. Fortunately, while he'd been tussling with Takaido he had helped himself to a small knife that the man had been carrying in his boot. It was not the best quality steel, but it would do. He took it out now and expertly sawed through the ropes.

Ryou whimpered quietly as the rope was peeled from his flesh, and when he turned around there were fresh tears in his eyes. Without a word he threw himself into Bakura's arms, trembling violently. Bakura held him close, allowing Ryou to cling to him. He watched in silence as Jou borrowed the knife to cut Yuugi free. Yuugi still wasn't responding, and that was clearly causing Jou concern. He shook his friend a few times to no avail before he sat back on his heels and glanced up at Bakura with an expression that made him look like a lost puppy.

"He'll need medical attention," said Bakura before Jou could speak. "Seto knows some of the best doctors in the world." It wasn't necessary to add any paltry reassurances, and anyway Bakura wouldn't have even if it was. From downstairs they heard a shout of "Mariku!" and he knew that meant Atemu had arrived. Quickly, he wound an arm around Ryou's waist and lifted his partner out of the way.

Atemu appeared at the door a few seconds later, his crimson eyes blazing. He didn't look at any of them; his attention was drawn immediately to Yuugi. Worry mingled with fear flashed across his face before being replaced by the composed mask he usually wore in public, but Bakura could tell how close he was to shattering. Jou backed away as Atemu stepped into the room and walked over to Yuugi. He stood there for a moment before he fell to his knees and reached out with a shaking hand to touch Yuugi's hand.

"I'll just -" Jou jerked his chin towards the door. It was obvious that he would have preferred to stay, but he knew that Atemu needed this moment of privacy with Yuugi. Bakura waved him out. There was no way he was leaving his prince alone, privacy or not.

"Yuugi," Atemu whispered, his voice breaking on the last syllable. He bowed his head to hide his face, and Bakura looked away.

"Bakura," Ryou murmured again.

"Yes?" he said, turning all of his focus onto Ryou and ignoring the scene before him completely.

"I thought - Bandit Keith said you were _dead_."

There was a lot of emotion wrapped up in that one word. Bakura swallowed and closed his eyes, his arms tightening fractionally around Ryou's tiny form. "As though that idiot could've taken me," he muttered, not wanting to admit that he had been thinking the exact same thing about Ryou. There was no doubt in his mind that if they had waited just a little while longer, Ryou and Yuugi_ would_ have died.

Ryou lifted his head and gave him a tiny smile. "Yeah, I guess I should have realized that it would take more than just Bandit Keith to take you down," he said. "Where is he?"

"Mariku and Seto are taking care of them," Bakura said. He had the feeling that Bandit Keith, Satake, Takaido and Ghost were all going to end up with some mysterious fresh bruises by the time that Mariku was done with them. And for once, Seto wouldn't do very much to stop him. "Seto has called in some of his men. They should be here within the hour."

He glanced back over at Atemu as he spoke, but the prince had not moved. He was still kneeling on the floor beside Yuugi, holding Yuugi's hand tightly. Ryou felt him move and twisted to look as well. "Yuugi needs medical attention," he said softly. "I don't know what Bandit Keith did to him."

"Do you think it's safe to move him?"

"I think so," Ryou said after a brief hesitation. "I don't see why not." He looked around the room and shivered. "We could at least take him downstairs and put him on the sofa. Lying on the cold floor like that can't be very comfortable, and he must be freezing."

Bakura nodded. "Atemu," he said.

Surprisingly, Atemu responded immediately. "Yes?"

"We should take them downstairs."

Atemu did not move for almost another full minute, but finally he released Yuugi's hand and bent to slide his arms under Yuugi's body. He picked Yuugi up very carefully, as tenderly as though Yuugi was made from glass that would break if allowed to fall, and cradled him against his chest as he stood up. Watching them, Ryou's face crumbled and for a moment Bakura thought he might start to cry. The idea was not nearly as annoying as it should have been. Surprisingly, though, Ryou kept it together after taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Can we go downstairs too?" he asked as Atemu shuffled carefully towards the door. "I don't want to be up here anymore."

"What did he do?" Bakura couldn't responding with a question of his own. He was brimming with the burning desire to know whether or not he had to pay Bandit Keith back for anything that he might have done to Ryou.

"Nothing much. He told me you were dead, threatened me, pressed the gun he was holding to my cheek." Ryou shivered and unclasped one of his hands from Bakura's shirt to touch the side of his face, like he could still feel the kiss of the metal. "He said that he was going to make me choose whether I died first or Yuugi, but before he could do anything this guy opened the door and told him that Seto and Jou and Malik had arrived. Bandit Keith said that he wanted to get his revenge on all of us at the same time. He was going to leave Seto's fate up to the others."

Bakura controlled the fury spreading through him with effort. He kept his expression carefully blank as he placed a hand on the small of Ryou's back and guided him out of the room. They went down the stairs together and found that Atemu had taken Yuugi into the living room where the others were. The prince was sitting on the couch with Yuugi clutched against his chest, staring at the floor. His eyes were unfocused, and Bakura suspected that if he walked over and snapped his fingers in front of Atemu's face the man wouldn't even react. All of them had been through a lot tonight, but there was a chance that Atemu and Yuugi had been through too much.

"Sit down over there," he told Ryou, nodding towards Atemu.

"Where are you going?" Fear sparked briefly in Ryou's face, and he clutched Bakura's shirt tighter.

"I'm not going to leave the building," Bakura replied honestly. He gently but firmly dislodged Ryou's grip and walked back into the hall. Seto, who was standing in the doorway with his arms around Jou, noticed where he was going, but as predicted he didn't say a word and Bakura was allowed to pass uncontested into the closet where Bandit Keith, Satake, Takaido and Ghost had been placed after Miho and Honda were carried out. Mariku was squatting over Takaido with a familiar mad light dancing in his eyes, and he glanced up when Bakura came in.

"Ready to have some fun?" he purred.

"Yes," Bakura said, and shut the door.

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Please review!


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:** Definitely drawing closer to the end, here. Enjoy!

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Yuugi's whole body ached. It was that low, dull throbbing of his muscles which gradually called him back into consciousness, and as his mind awoke he realized that he was genuinely surprised that he didn't hurt more. He vaguely remembered Miho being ushered out of the room by a guard, and he'd drifted after that. At some point he thought he'd seen Bandit Keith standing over him, but that couldn't be right. Bandit Keith had left with Vivian, hadn't he? Slowly, he opened his eyes. The room was dark, enough so that at first he had a hard time making out any of the details of where he was. He saw exactly enough to prove that he was no longer at Vivian's house, and then it all ceased to matter because Atemu was sitting beside him.

The prince was slumped in a chair, head tilted back in a way that could not have been comfortable. He was not sleeping, but his eyes had the glazed look of someone who had been awake for far too long and been under too much stress the whole time. Realizing that Atemu hadn't registered that Yuugi was awake, he moved his hand just enough to brush the back of Atemu's fingers. The result was instant. Atemu's head snapped down and he stared at Yuugi, blinking rapidly.

"Yuugi?" he said after nearly a minute of silence, like he wasn't really sure that he could trust what he was seeing.

"Atemu," Yuugi responded. It hurt to speak, the words grating painfully against his dry throat, but that word had become the most important one in his world. It was worth a little pain to be able to speak it out loud.

Relief flooded into Atemu's face, so raw that Yuugi's heart clenched, and swallowed as Atemu turned and picked up a glass of water. Carefully, Atemu reached out and directed the straw to Yuugi's lips. Sipping made the bruise on his lower jaw hurt fiercely, but the pain was forgotten in the wake of the cool, sweet liquid soothing his torn throat. Yuugi closed his eyes briefly with a blissful sigh. Nothing had ever tasted as good as that water did, and he could have happily drunk twenty glasses. But Atemu took it away before he'd drunk less than half, and Yuugi watched him set it aside with longing. He wanted more. Atemu caught his expression, and his mouth twitched into a smile.

"You shouldn't drink too much at once. Some of the medication you've been given could make you prone to nausea, and too much water when your body isn't used to it could make you throw up," he explained. "That would put a strain your ribs. Or at least, that's what Doctor Ryou told me in explicit detail before he finally allowed Bakura to drag him out of here."

Yuugi chuckled, wincing only slightly as his whole midsection ached at the movement. "That sounds like Ryou," he remarked a little wistfully. "He's always been a mother hen whenever one of us gets sick. I'm surprised you got him to leave."

"Like I said, Bakura dragged him out. He didn't have much choice," Atemu said wryly. "Besides, it was for the best. Ryou needed some sleep."

And you don't? Yuugi felt like asking. The signs of exhaustion were obvious in Atemu's face and body, from the slight slump of his shoulders to the more telling rings of puffy, bruised flesh under his eyes. It looked like the prince hadn't had the opportunity to have a good sleep in months. "How long have I been in here?" he asked instead, sensing a confrontation would not be welcome. "Where am I? What happened?"

"You've been asleep for approximately twelve hours, you're in one of Seto's private houses, and we found you," Atemu rattled off. "The doctor who checked you over said that no lasting damage was done. You don't even have a concussion. But it will be about a week before you'll be able to move around without feeling at least some pain. Bandit Keith came very close to cracking some of your ribs." A deep anger flickered in his eyes. "They'll be checking your urine over the next day or two to make sure you're not passing blood."

"So I guess I won't be able to leave, then." Yuugi sighed. He did not hate hospitals the way that some people did, but he found them to be utterly boring. Usually even games weren't enough to entertain him.

"Well, no, but we're all staying here as well. Like I said, this isn't a hospital. It's one of Seto's houses," Atemu told him. "Outside of the palace, it's one of the safest places in Egypt. Even though Bandit Keith and his friends are in custody and Vivian has been personally escorted out of the country, I figured it was best not to take any chances."

It was amazing, Yuugi reflected, how much relief he felt at hearing that there was no chance that Bandit Keith or Vivian would be able to find him here. He realized that he had missed a lot while he was unconsciousness and was intensely curious to find out what had gone on. "What _happened_?"

"Well, after Vivian took you it was immediately obvious we had to come after you. Not long after we arrived, Miho contacted me and explained to me that she'd been speaking to you," he explained. "It was really thanks to Miho and Honda that we found as quickly as we did. With their help, we implemented a plan to rescue you. I was supposed to keep Vivian busy at a restaurant while the others went to the house."

"The pictures," Yuugi murmured, remembering Vivian's taunting about their meeting, and Atemu's face darkened again as he leaned forward and took Yuugi's hand in his.

"Yes. Yuugi, you have my deepest apologies for this. I never once thought -"

"Stop," Yuugi interrupted, holding his free hand up. "Atemu, please don't apologize. I know that you had no idea what Vivian was going to do. There was no way you could have known how crazy she was going to turn out to be. This isn't your fault, and I don't want you to blame yourself." Even though he knew that Atemu would be doing just that. "Now... I'm guessing that something went wrong at the restaurant."

"My father showed up."

Yuugi winced. "Ouch."

"That's what I was expecting, but it didn't turn out to be as bad as I thought. He figured out fairly quickly that there was something not quite right between Vivian and me. I was trying to keep my cool, but Vivian showed me the photos of you and then she blindsided me with his arrival and once they noticed that my ring was gone I - I just couldn't take it anymore. I blew up at Vivian, told her I'd never forgive her and that I hoped we never got the chance to deal with her away from the public eye and stormed out." Atemu smirked. "My father followed me and told me that he would take care of Vivian. Surprisingly, he was true to his word. He called Vivian's parents in for a personal conference. From what I hear, there is no shame quite like the one when the pharaoh of Egypt calls you to complain about your child."

A slow smile spread across Yuugi's face. He wasn't sure what he had been hoping for when it came to Vivian. There was a small part of him that wished she had been more thoroughly punished, and he knew that meant it was for the best that Vivian had been escorted out of Egypt. When even _he_ started feeling like violence might be the answer, it was a safe bet that some lines had definitely been crossed. Judging from the anger still simmering in Atemu's eyes, Vivian would never realize how fortunate she was that the pharaoh had intervened on her behalf and had her sent somewhere safe.

"It sounds like you were busy," he replied, squeezing Atemu's hand gently. "What about Bandit Keith? He said that he had tickets to get out of Egypt. Did he escape?"

"No. Ryou and Bakura went to investigate the house ahead of everyone else, and they ended up getting caught. Bandit Keith tried to kill you and Ryou while his idiot friends attacked Malik, Seto and Jou. As you can imagine, it didn't go over very well once Bakura escaped his bonds."

Yuugi snickered. "What happened?"

"Let's just say that now that Bakura and Mariku are done with them, Bandit Keith, Takaido, Satake and Ghost won't be able to deal anyone else pain for a very long time." Atemu didn't think that any descriptions were necessary, considering that he still felt faintly disturbed when he thought about it.

"Good," Yuugi said quietly, resting his free hand lightly on his belly. He knew that he would never forget the look in Bandit Keith's eyes when the man had been beating him up. Bandit Keith had thoroughly enjoyed his work, and there was no doubt in Yuugi's mind that he would have gladly done it even if Vivian hadn't ordered him to. "And - is everyone alright? Are _you_ okay?"

"No lasting injuries. Ryou was treated for a concussion. Malik and Jou had some rope burns, and Seto and Bakura some minor bruising."

"And you?" Yuugi pressed.

"I'm fine."

It was clearly a lie. Yuugi frowned, worried. There were new lines in Atemu's face, ones that had not been there before. The man had aged a lot in just a few days. Impulsively, he tugged on Atemu's hand until the prince had no choice but to stand up. He kept pulling until Atemu got the hint. Atemu glanced at the door, but, seeing that there was no one around, he obligingly knelt on the bed beside Yuugi. He shifted around until he was lying beside Yuugi on his back. Yuugi promptly rolled onto his side, disregarding the flare of pain from his ribs, and curled up into Atemu's chest. It felt _so good_ to be there he didn't even care that he was mostly naked while Atemu was still fully dressed.

He breathed out slowly and then inhaled deeply, flooding his nose with Atemu's familiar scent. It was nearly impossible to believe that they had known each other for less than two months. It felt like he'd known Atemu forever and that they had done this a thousand times. He closed his eyes blissfully as Atemu's arm came up around his shoulders, and warm fingers began tracing idle figures across his bicep. It was tempting to just let go and sink down into sleep now that he felt safe for the first time in days, but he kept himself awake. There were still too many questions he wanted to ask.

"So you explained everything to your father, then?" he asked.

Atemu tensed. "Well, no. I - like I said, he was at the restaurant, and I didn't exactly take the time to tell him everything. I was too worried about you and the others." He thought back to the conversation he'd had with Vivian. "I'm guessing he probably heard enough to figure some of it out for himself. At any rate, all I really cared about was making sure that Vivian would never bother us again. And he took care of that for me." There was still an audible note of wonder in his voice.

"But you are going to tell him, right?" Yuugi knew that it probably wasn't his business to be pressing Atemu about this. But he could tell that this whole situation, what with having to get married and leaving Egypt on such poor terms with his father, had affected Atemu much more than he wanted to let on. The prince wouldn't be happy again until he had cleared the air between them.

"Actually, he said he wants to meet you," Atemu admitted.

"Me?" Yuugi's violet eyes went wide. "What? Why?!"

By way of response, Atemu took his hand. He meaningfully brushed his fingers over the ring that still adorned Yuugi's finger. There were no words for the feelings that had flooded through him when he'd caught sight of Yuugi's hand for the first time. Miho had assured him that Yuugi had put the ring on himself, but it was still a shock to _see_ it. The ring looked good on Yuugi's hand, like it had been designed for him, and not for the first time Atemu wondered if it would stay there. He still wasn't sure why Yuugi had accepted the ring, if it had been only for Vivian's benefit or if there was something more.

"Oh." The breath left Yuugi in a rush and his cheeks flushed an adorable shade of pink.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Atemu told him quickly. "And either way, you needn't make up your mind until you're feeling better." His jaw tightened suddenly. "I _saw _those pictures, Yuugi. I saw what they did to you. And no matter what you say, I _am_ sorry."

Yuugi sighed. They'd already been over this, but he had the sneaking suspicion that those pictures were going to torment Atemu for a long time. Perhaps it was only fair, considering that Yuugi thought it would be a very long time before he would be able to sit comfortably in an enclosed space, especially if there was a chance that someone was going to sneak up on him. He cast a quick glance at the door before curling closer, nudging his head into Atemu's chest. He was pleased when a hand began to stroke his hair in response.

He didn't know how to fix this, and that was frustrating because he really wanted to. He wanted to make things better for Atemu. Prince or not, Yuugi had the feeling that Atemu's life had never been easy, and people like Vivian Wong only made it worse. But how? After all, Yuugi was the one who had been kidnapped, locked away and beaten up. It would be a while before he stopped thinking about the hatred in Bandit Keith's face, or until he forgot what it felt like to have his fingers ache to the bone because he'd spent hours prying uselessly at a window that would not open no matter what he did. And he would never be able to forget that his introduction to Egypt, a country that he had looked forward to visiting for most of his life, had been at the hands of people who would have gladly killed him.

Nervously, he flexed his fingers. Atemu hadn't asked about the ring, and Yuugi was relieved. He couldn't imagine not being with Atemu, but at the same time the thought of being with him was not nearly as appealing as it had been. Vivian's presence had tainted their relationship from the very beginning. Yuugi had spent so much time filled with suspicion and mistrust because he couldn't be sure just who was telling him the truth. Looking back, it felt like wasted time. But he couldn't blame himself for feeling that way. How was he supposed to know who could be believed? How could any of them have known just how horrible a person that Vivian would turn out to be?

His grandfather had always cautioned him about hatred. Sugoroku had told him once that hatred would hurt him more than anyone it was targeted towards. And Yuugi didn't think he'd ever really hated someone before. Until now. Because he hated Vivian. He really did. He never would have believed that anyone could be as cruel or vindictive as she was. It would have been different if she had been doing this for love, but her motives had been purely selfish. Greed and a desire for power, that was what had motivated Vivian from the very beginning. Was that what would happen to Yuugi if he agreed to marry Atemu? How could he be sure that he wouldn't end up the same way?

"You're very quiet," Atemu observed finally. He sounded hesitant. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," Yuugi said softly. His thoughts were all muddled up, and he couldn't help feeling even more confused now than he had been before. He tightened his grip on Atemu's shirt, like someone was going to come and take him away. What he was about to say hurt so much that he could feel tears stinging his eyes, but he knew it still needed to be said. "Atemu, I have to go back to Japan."

Atemu froze for a few long seconds, and then made a painfully conscious effort to relax. "You do?"

"I'm sorry. It's not that I don't wanted to be here with you, because I do." Yuugi swallowed hard and licked his lips. His mouth was dry, but he didn't think now was the time to ask for water. "I lo - care about you very much. Too much. I need to go back home and just be by myself for a while. I need to be with my grandfather and remember what it's like to be a normal person."

There was hurt in Atemu's eyes. He couldn't hide it. He didn't try. "I understand."

"Really?"

"Yes. I don't like it, but I do."

Yuugi wasn't really sure that Atemu did. He wanted to explain that this had nothing to do with Atemu, that it was about him and the fact that he needed time to gain some perspective in a place that was unbiased, but he suspected that even then Atemu might not understand. This was just one of those things he had to do. "I'm glad," he said instead. "I'd like it - would it be okay if we wrote to each other?"

"Of course. I'll e-mail you every day," Atemu murmured, sounding a little more light-hearted with the realization that Yuugi still wanted to stay in touch. "Maybe... we could talk on the phone, even."

"Maybe," Yuugi agreed. Not at first, not right away, but in time he knew he would want that.

"I'll have Seto get you a flight out in the morning, then."

"Thank you," Yuugi whispered, closing his eyes against the tears brimming. He did not want to leave Atemu. But he knew that this was the right thing to do.

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Please review!


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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"Yuugi! Phone! Hurry up, it's Ryou!"

Mutou Yuugi was sleeping soundly, all curled up in his bed with the sheets tucked up firmly around his shoulders. Or at least, he was until his grandfather's words permeated his dreams. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he sat up. Immediately he shivered, realizing that he'd forgotten to turn the heat on and that as a result the warmth he'd built up from a night beneath the covers was quickly escaping. Muttering under his breath, he hopped out of his bed and grabbed his robe. He pulled it on and tied it shut as he hurried out of his room and ran down the stairs. Sugoroku was waiting for him at the bottom with the phone; he shook his head at Yuugi's dishevelled appearance and handed the phone over without a word.

"Thanks Jii-chan," Yuugi said sheepishly, putting the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Don't tell me you were still in bed!" Ryou's voice came through loud and clear. He sounded like he was trying not to laugh. "Honestly, Yuugi. You're one of the only people that I know who can sleep past noon."

"Obviously you don't get out very much," Yuugi replied, muffling his yawn with his hand. "Malik had me up really late last night."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, I think he just misses Mariku. Not that he'd ever admit it," he added, rolling his eyes. Ever since they'd returned home from Egypt, Malik had been insisting to whoever would listen that whatever had existed between him and Mariku was nothing more than a fluke that wouldn't actually go anywhere. Of course, considering that Yuugi was almost positive that Malik and Mariku had kept in close contact, he figured that was just Malik trying to save face. Isis had not been too happy with her little brother.

Ryou chuckled softly. "Well, if all goes well that might not be an issue anymore. Have you decided?"

"No."

"Yuugi!"

"What? It's a big decision, Ryou. I can't help it if I'm not sure yet."

Ryou sighed. "I'm not actually trying to pressure you, Yuugi, but you're driving Atemu crazy. He talks about you even more now than he did when you first left. He's really nuts about you, and if you don't see your relationship going anywhere I think you need to tell him that. It's not fair to keep Atemu hanging, especially now. You have to decide."

It was so easy to say that when Ryou had already made his choice. It had blindsided Yuugi at the time, but now he could see that he really should have been expecting Ryou and Jou to remain behind. But he remembered how shocked he'd been when he, Ryou, Jou and Malik had down to talk about it, and his friends had told him that they were not planning to return to Japan. The decision had even left him feeling a little betrayed. Only Malik had chosen to come home with him, and Yuugi suspected that it had been even harder for Malik to leave Mariku behind than his friend had anticipated.

Yuugi missed his friends desperately, almost as much as he missed Atemu. Jou and Ryou had been such a huge part of his life in Domino that it took him a while to get used to not seeing them every day. They spoke regularly on the phone, of course, and exchanged e-mails and texts all the time, but it just wasn't the same. And he knew that there was no way his friends were going to return anytime soon. Bakura and Ryou had grown closer than ever, and Ryou had started getting special training from the palace doctors. It was the sort of personalized tutoring that he had always dreamed of having. And as for Jou, well once he'd heard that Shizuka had secured a place at a top university in Egypt that was, coincidentally enough, only a half hour from the palace, that had sealed the deal for him.

"I just don't know," Yuugi repeated quietly. It had become his standard answer whenever someone asked him what he was planning to do. He wished he had a better answer. He really did. He didn't like not knowing what the future held.

"Well, I'm not sure if this will influence your decision or not but Malik told me that he's planning to fly out here for a trial run in a couple of weeks, and if it seems like he and Mariku are going to make it I think he'll stay."

"I know." He felt his stomach twist uncomfortably at the thought. Yuugi really didn't want to be the only one of his friends who was left behind in Domino. For a while, it had started to seem like Malik wouldn't be going back either. And in his heart, Yuugi had almost hoped that would be the case. But Isis had finally come around to the idea that her brother had found happiness in Egypt, and she had planned to visit with him to make sure that Malik would be treated fairly. There was no doubt in Yuugi's mind that both Ishtar siblings might soon be making the move together.

"Is this about Atemu?" Ryou asked frankly, clearly tired of dancing around the question.

"No. I know Atemu cares for me. I just... like I said, I don't_ know_." Yuugi was aware that he was getting dangerously close to whining, but he couldn't help it. He felt conflicted every time he thought about moving to Egypt. How could he leave his grandfather and the shop behind? And things were good between him and Atemu now, but what if they changed when he arrived in Egypt? What if he couldn't be the kind of person that Atemu needed at his side?

They had communicated fairly regularly over the past three months, and after several weeks of e-mails Yuugi had finally agreed that phone calls would be alright. He couldn't deny that it gave him a thrill every time he heard Atemu's voice on the other side of the line, and his desire to see Atemu in person was growing stronger every day. Now that he'd had a little time to sort himself out, he'd realized that what he was feeling for Atemu was not going to just disappear. It was more than simple infatuation. He didn't know if it was love, but he had the sneaking suspicion that it might be.

And that was - terrifying. Yuugi had not expected to go on that show and actually fall in love. It had changed everything, and he wasn't really sure how to handle that. He was pretty sure that Atemu would never break his heart the way that Anzu had, but when it came right down to it there just seemed to be so _much_ working against them. How could they make things work? If he moved out to Egypt and everything fell apart, it would be awful. Was it worth the risk?

He realized belatedly that Ryou had been speaking to him while he was thinking, and that he hadn't been listening to a single word. Flushing slightly, Yuugi made a concentrated effort to focus on the conversation, grateful that Ryou had gracefully switched it to a less intimidating topic. They talked for a few more minutes before Ryou had to hang up, and he had to admit that he wasn't exactly disappointed by that. Everyone had been pretty good about giving him space so far, especially Atemu. But now it seemed like his time had run out, and he was no closer to making a decision.

After hanging up, he went upstairs and got dressed before wandering back down to the shop. It was just after the lunch rush, but just before any of the local kids would be getting out of school, so things were fairly quiet. Sugoroku was leaning over the cash register, humming softly while he punched in the codes to get the information he needed. Yuugi automatically picked up the broom and began sweeping. If there was a chance, they'd have to put some more stock out, he noted. The duel monsters cards were nearly all gone. The sight of the foil packs made him remember the 'date' he and Atemu had gone on, the one that had actually been going along well until first Anzu and then Vivian interrupted it.

"Yuugi, do you have something you need to talk about?"

It took a moment for Yuugi to realize his grandfather had spoken, breaking the peaceful silence that had fallen over them. "Why would you ask, Jii-chan?"

Sugoroku glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Because you've been sweeping the same little patch of floor for the past five minutes. If you keep at it, I'm going to have to get a new floor put in."

"Um, sorry," Yuugi said sheepishly, flushing. He darted a cautious look at his grandfather. He had not told Sugoroku most of what had happened in Egypt, not wanting to alarm the man unnecessarily. He had just said that Yami wasn't really who Yuugi thought he would be, and that they had decided to take things more slowly than the show would have allowed. He suspected that Sugoroku hadn't fully bought the story, but he hadn't pressed for more answers and that was the important thing.

"You don't need to apologize, Yuugi. I'm just worried about you, that's all. I'm going to guess that this has something to do with Atemu and the fact that he wants you to move to Egypt, right?"

"How -" Yuugi paused and swallowed hard. "How did you know?"

"I'm not deaf, and when you and Malik talk you're much louder than you think you are. Besides, I've been able to tell for a while now that something has been bothering you, and what else could it be?" Sugoroku smiled, but his expression quickly grew serious. "Why don't we close up the shop for a little while, and we can go in back and talk about it?"

Yuugi just stared at him for a long moment before he nodded silently. He flipped the sign over and locked the door while Sugoroku closed down the register. Together, they left the shop and went back into the kitchen, where Sugoroku started to make some hot chocolate while Yuugi sat down at the table and watched. His heart was racing, and he honestly wasn't sure how he felt about discussing this with his grandfather. He folded his hands and tried to appear calm, knowing that Sugoroku was waiting for him to begin.

"Atemu and I have been talking a lot over the past few months," he said at last. "He's - not at all what I was expecting. Well, that's not really true. The guy I met on the show, I knew he was under a lot of pressure but I didn't realize how much until we really got the chance to talk without any cameras recording our every word. I feel like for the first time, I'm actually getting to know the real Atemu. And I like him. A lot."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Sugoroku said gently, pouring two mugs full of piping hot chocolate. He set one down in front of his grandson.

"Yes there is. Atemu lives in _Egypt_, Jii-chan. He's the_ prince_. He's going to be the Pharaoh as soon as he gets married. If it weren't for the fact that his father backed off, he'd be the Pharaoh already." Yuugi stared intently at the table as he took a sip of his drink, hoping that Sugoroku wouldn't ask _why_ Aknamkanon had lightened up. As far as Aknamkanon knew, Yuugi was still recuperating from what had happened with Vivian and wasn't in any shape to get married. That would all change as soon as he met the Pharaoh for the first time.

And the thing was, it wasn't like he didn't want to marry Atemu. Actually, the idea was beginning to seem more appealing with every passing day. Every conversation he had with Atemu just made him fall in love with the prince a little bit more. He looked down at the ring on his finger, which he had yet to take off. The only time he removed it was when he showered, and then it was only for the length of time he was bathing. The ring was the last item he took off and the first thing he put back on.

He sighed. "Things are just really complicated, that's all. And on top of all that, I feel guilty for not being able to give Atemu a straight answer. I know that everyone is waiting for me to decide. Malik and Isis are leaving soon and they want me to go with them. So do Ryou and Jou and Seto and Bakura and Mariku."

"How does Atemu feel?"

"I..." Yuugi faltered, looking back down at the table. "He's been really good about not mentioning it, actually. I think he's worried that he might scare me off if he talks about it." And for good reason: it had taken Yuugi a long time just to be able to talk to Atemu on the phone. The prince probably thought that any talk of moving to Egypt was going to make Yuugi turn around and run for the hills. Still looking at the ring, he added, "I haven't asked him, but I think he'd still like it if I moved to Egypt. At least, he hasn't asked for his ring back yet."

Sugoroku smiled. "I may not know Atemu, but I hardly think that's likely to happen. From what I've researched about Egyptian traditions, Yuugi, that ring is not freely given unless there is true meaning behind it. And yes, I know what it implies," he added at Yuugi's startled look. "Come now, Yuugi. I'm not blind, either. You never wear jewelry, but especially a ring? It didn't take me long to realize that there had to be some special meaning behind it, and when you consider that I've seen it before in some of my research..." He reached across the table and gently took Yuugi's hand, twisting it so that he could better see the ring. "It's been passed down by a couple of generations, you know. That ring is very valuable."

"But he gave it to me under duress," Yuugi said very quietly, finally voicing one of his deepest fears that he had not shared with anyone. "Jii-chan, what if Atemu gave this ring to me because he felt he had to? I mean, it was a bad situation with Vivian. She was really determined that she was going to marry Atemu. This was basically the only way he could put her off."

"I'm sure that's not the case, but I also know that you're not going to believe me when I say that." Sugoroku paused and took a sip of his hot chocolate. "Really, the only advice I can give you is exactly what I told you back when you weren't sure whether Atemu was telling you the truth about Vivian in the first place."

"Talk to Atemu?"

"That's right. I told you once that communication is key in any relationship, Yuugi, and that goes double when your boyfriend is the prince of Egypt." He grinned when Yuugi sputtered. "I think that you're having so much trouble with this decision because you've been discussing it with everyone except for the one person you really need to talk to about it. Ryou and Malik and Jou and all of your other friends can offer their opinions, but really this comes down to you and Atemu. You can't make a choice until you talk to him and find out what Atemu wants."

It was like a heavy weight was falling from Yuugi's shoulders. He realized that he'd already known that, but somehow he'd needed his grandfather to _say_ it. "But what if I did end up moving to Egypt?" he asked, needing to test the waters just a little.

"Then I would hope that you'd be happy there."

"But - what about the shop?"

"Yuugi." Sugoroku paused and let out a heavy sigh. "I've never expected that you would stay here minding the shop for the rest of your life. The shop is my passion, not yours, and if I ever made you feel otherwise then you have my deepest apologies." He held up a hand to keep his grandson from speaking. "No, let me finish. You are one of most loyal, dependable young men that I've ever met. And I'm flattered that you're taking the shop and me so heavily into consideration while you're making your decision. But I do not want that to influence you into staying in Japan if that's not what _you_ want. When the day comes that I'm unable to handle things around the shop on my own, I'll do whatever is necessary. If that means selling the shop and moving to Egypt with you, then so be it."

Yuugi stared at him with wide eyes. "You would - but Jii-chan, the shop is everything to you!"

"No, you are," Sugoroku said firmly. "You're my grandson, Yuugi, and you come first before everything else. I've lived my life. I don't have any regrets. That's what I want for you. Think long and hard about that before you make your decision." He stood up and left, carrying the remains of his hot chocolate.

Too stunned to respond, Yuugi just watched him go. Sugoroku had never spoken to him so frankly before, and he wasn't sure what to think about it. He sat there alone at the table for a long time, drinking his hot chocolate and musing over everything that his grandfather had said to him. And then he put his cup in the sink and went upstairs to call Atemu.

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Please review!


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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Ryou kept listening to the dial tone for a moment before he hung up the phone. It was just as well that he and Yuugi had ended the call, because he could tell that Yuugi had been distracted during the last part of their conversation and he doubted that, if asked, Yuugi would remember anything they'd talked about besides Atemu. He sighed and tucked his cell back into the pocket of his jeans. He was worried about his friend. It wasn't like Yuugi to be so indecisive, but Yuugi had changed ever since this whole disaster with Vivian had started. He'd had a difficult time getting re-used to life in Domino City, and part of Ryou wished that he could have been there to help Yuugi out a little more.

But. He turned, taking in the absolutely gorgeous view right behind him. Atemu had given him a lovely room in the palace that was, conveniently enough, right next door to Bakura and just down the hall from Jou. It was enormous, for one thing, and filled with top quality furniture that had been purchased with Ryou's tastes in mind. Even the sheets on the bed were made of Egyptian cotton and were the softest things he had ever laid down on. And the view - there was no way to describe it, but breath-taking came to mind. He could spend hours just admiring the way the sun looked as it started to fall behind one of the sand dunes, and how the shadows changed shape as they spread across the land.

He was happy here in Egypt, happy in a way that he had not been for a very long time. No one except for Bakura, Mariku, Seto, Atemu and the pharaoh knew about his father, and the pharaoh had made it clear that he was not going to hold Ryou accountable for something that his father had done. Some of the best and most skilled doctors that Ryou had ever met lived and worked in the palace, and none of them had minded giving him personal advice once they realized that he actually knew what they were talking about. In the fall, he was even hoping that he might be able to begin studying with one of them so that - maybe - someday he could become a doctor. It was the sort of life he had never dared to dream that he could have.

Yuugi could also be happy here. Ryou knew that as surely as he knew that it would be a mistake for Yuugi to stay in Japan. But he was no longer sure how to communicate that. It wasn't just the physical distance causing a problem; Yuugi was a little bit different now, a little less willing to blithely trust in what people said or did. Ryou didn't blame him for that new level of wariness, considering where it had come from, but he desperately hoped that Yuugi wouldn't let it get in the way of his future. That would be like letting Vivian win.

He sighed again and stood up, hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans as the door swung open. Unsurprisingly, it was Jou. "What did Yuugi say?" he asked without waiting for Ryou to speak.

"He's still not sure," Ryou replied with a shrug. Jou made a face, and he added, "I'm sorry, okay? I've been trying to get him to talk about it for ages now, but every time I bring it up he just says he's not sure. I can't force him to talk to me, Jou. That's not how it works. And it probably doesn't help that I'm not even sure I should be the one talking to him about this. I feel weird getting in the middle of him and Atemu."

Jou sighed. "You're not in the middle. Well, okay, you kind of are," he admitted when Ryou shot him a look. "I'm just worried, that's all. I really thought that Yuugi would have come out here before now. The longer he stays in Japan, the more I wonder if maybe he's going to stay there for good."

And that, Ryou thought, was exactly what they were_ all_ worried about. "It's been hard for him, Jou. No one gets over the kind of things that Yuugi went through that easily." He suppressed a shiver. He still had nightmares about being alone in that room with Bandit Keith, and that had only been for a few minutes. He could only imagine how Yuugi was doing, trying to come to terms with it all.

"I know, but..." Jou trailed off. He looked upset.

Ryou softened slightly. "For what it's worth, I think Yuugi really does care about Atemu. And I think that a part of him really does want to come to Egypt. You know that Yuugi has always loved this place. I'm not sure that even what Vivian did could really take away from that." He glanced out the window again. "But when you add in everything with the pharaoh, and Atemu taking the throne soon, it just gets way more complicated."

"This sucks," said Jou flatly.

"Tell me about it." Ryou was getting pretty tired of watching Atemu mope around the palace. The prince was under a lot of pressure. Aknamkanon had been understanding at first, but lately he had been putting more demands on his son. He wanted to know why he hadn't met Yuugi yet and why the wedding wasn't being planned. Atemu had tried to give excuses, but Aknamkanon just didn't want to hear it.

Bakura had explained to him that as long as Atemu was engaged to be married - and by giving Yuugi his ring, he was - the throne was technically safe. No one else would be able to take it from the rightful heir. But as soon as it became official that Yuugi and Atemu were not marrying, there was a chance someone else, like Aknamkanon's brother, would be able to steal it. And Ryou had met the guy: no one else would be able to match up to Atemu, but he would be a frankly horrible pharaoh.

Of course, there was nothing stopping Atemu from turning around and finding another bride. But everyone knew that Atemu would be reluctant to do that. He was in love with Yuugi, and he was going to be heartbroken if Yuugi ultimately decided to stay in Domino City. It would take a while for Atemu to recover from that, if he ever did. There just didn't seem to be a good way to resolve the situation, not while Aknamkanon was every bit as stubborn as his son. If only the pharaoh would agree to just let Atemu ascend to the throne without marriage!

"If you frown any harder you're going to burn a hole in the wall. What are you thinking about?" Jou asked eventually.

"Nothing important. Just wishing things could be different," Ryou said with a half-hearted smile. It was useless. Three months had shown him just how determined Aknamkanon was to have his son married. After two months, he'd even tried poking around Ryou and Jou to see if one of them would be interested in Atemu. Of course Bakura and Seto had put a stop to _that_, but he'd still tried.

The door banged open a second time, and Bakura barged in. "Wishing doesn't change anything," he said, not even pausing to apologize for entering without permission. He threw himself down on Ryou's bed, messing up the covers on purpose. Ryou rolled his eyes, but he was smiling for real this time.

"Is there a reason you're invading?" he asked.

"Atemu is talking to Yuugi," Seto explained, hovering in the doorway until Ryou gestured for him to come in. He stepped inside and reached out towards Jou, sliding an arm around the Jou's waist. Where once Jou would have tensed and shied away from the contact, now he leaned into it with a satisfied smile. "I believe that there's a chance the two of them may finally be starting to work things out. But I don't think they'll ever come to a satisfactory conclusion until Yuugi gets on a plane and comes to Egypt."

"At least they're talking. That's a good start," said Jou optimistically.

"Maybe," Ryou said, unconvinced. "Seto, do you think - is there a chance that we could get Atemu to go to Domino City?"

Seto didn't seem to be surprised by the question. "I've considered that," he replied. "I think that my uncle would be receptive to the idea if he was under the impression that Atemu's visit could begin paving the way towards a wedding. And it wouldn't necessarily be a lie, because someday the outcome could very well turn in that direction. But the real question would be whether or not Atemu would be willing to go. Right now he's worried about pushing Yuugi too hard."

"I can understand that." Ryou paused, thinking hard. They'd all been tip-toeing around Yuugi for the past few months, all of them trying so hard not to pressure him or put too many demands on him. But maybe they had been handling the situation all wrong. Yuugi was definitely the kind of person who would stick his head in the sand if it meant avoiding any pain or arguments. That was part of the reason he had been so blindsided by Anzu and Otogi's relationship. Was he doing the same now?

Maybe what they should be doing was forcing Yuugi to face the situation and actually think about the future he might be giving up on. Living in Domino, Yuugi was so removed from everything. Unless he was talking to Malik, Ryou, Jou or Atemu, he didn't have to think about Egypt at all. It was probably safe to assume that he had been deliberately doing just that - and Ryou could hardly blame him, but he didn't want Yuugi to throw away this future. Not when he thought that Yuugi could be truly happy here.

He looked over at Jou, and one glance at his friend's face told Ryou that they were thinking exactly the same thing. And no wonder: even though they were worried, Jou was getting just as frustrated as Ryou was. "I think," Ryou said slowly, "that maybe Atemu should go to Domino. And I don't think he should ask Yuugi if he wants Atemu there. He should just go."

"You think Yuugi will take well to that?" Seto asked.

"No," Jou said with a faint smirk. "He'll probably be really mad - but it's Yuugi, so once he gets over the silent treatment he'll be so happy to see Atemu he won't even remember that he was set up."

Ryou had to smile. "Jou's right. At first I thought the same way that Atemu did. I wanted to keep from putting too much pressure on Yuugi. But now I think we have to. If we don't, Yuugi's going to hem and haw about this forever. He'll do it for so long that eventually the decision will be taken out of his hands. At this point I don't even care what he decides, I just want him to make a choice."

"I'm on board with that. If I have to listen to Atemu or Mariku do any more moping around, I'm going to kick both their asses," Bakura muttered.

"Well, at least Malik will be here soon. That should solve one problem," Ryou said.

"Not really. He's pissed about the fact that Malik's sister is coming."

Ah yes, Isis. Ryou had to cough to hide his laughter. God, _that_ would be interesting. "So what do you think?" he said, focusing on Seto again.

"I'll talk to Atemu," Seto said, giving Jou one last squeeze before he broke away and headed for the door. "I'm fairly sure I can convince him that going to Domino would be for the best. At any rate, it will give him a break from having to listen to his father drop constant hints about planning a wedding ceremony."

**YY**

With the sound of Yuugi's soft good-bye still lingering in his ear, Atemu hung up the phone. It had surprised him to see Yuugi's name on the screen. Usually Atemu was the one who initiated their conversations, not Yuugi, and generally only at pre-determined times. If it weren't for the fact that Yuugi always sounded genuinely happy to hear from him, he would've started to think that any hope of anything happening between them had died completely. As it was, even now he had his doubts.

He loved Yuugi. He really did. Atemu had noticed that over the past three months, he'd grown to miss Yuugi even more than he'd expected he would. There were so many times over the course of a day that he wished he could see Yuugi; there were things he wished he could share, problems that he wished he could get Yuugi's opinion on. More and more, Aknamkanon was turning over the care of the country to him. It was something he'd always been waiting for. And now it was tainted. It didn't feel like the triumph that it should have.

Should he give up on Yuugi? It was a question he had been putting some increasing thought into. Aknamkanon had made it perfectly clear that he would not crown Atemu pharaoh until he was married. Sooner or later, his father was going to grow suspicious of the fact that he and Yuugi had yet to meet again. Even though Atemu truly doubted he would ever love someone the way he loved Yuugi, he'd always known that his country had to come first. Perhaps it was time to find someone who he could at least be contented with, someone who would care for Egypt.

He opened the door to his room and stopped at the sight of a fist. Seto blinked back at him and then smirked, dropping his hand to his side. "Going somewhere?"

"Not really," Atemu said, backing up a step to let his cousin in. This was one of those rare times when he did not have a meeting or a lesson to get to, and instead of enjoying the free time it actually left him feeling a little at odds. It was difficult to be around Seto and Bakura when they were both so happy, and Mariku was rapidly turning into a nervous wreck. Atemu already had enough anxiety to deal with.

Seto's eyes took him in carefully as he closed the door, and Atemu had the feeling that his cousin was seeing much more than Atemu wanted him to. He frowned at the scrutiny, and Seto sighed. "This has to stop, Atemu. You're driving yourself - and the rest of the palace along with you - up the wall."

"You're right," Atemu said, feeling a fresh flush of guilt. Apparently he hadn't been keeping his feelings as contained as he'd thought.

"I'm right?" Seto stared at him in surprise for only a moment before understanding flashed across his face.

"Before you say anything, let me just -"

"No, let me. I understand where you're coming from, but I don't think you should give on Yuugi just yet, Atemu. I've been speaking with Ryou and Jou, and the two of them think that if you were to go to Domino City and talk to Yuugi... It is worth a shot, don't you think?"

"But Yuugi said he didn't want that."

"Actually, I believe he's wavering about whether or not he should come to Egypt," Seto corrected him, smiling faintly. "I don't think anything was said about you going to Japan. Atemu, normally I would have advised you to forget about Yuugi after all of the misery and trouble this has caused. But I'm making an exception, and I think you should too. You were happier and more alive around Yuugi during those few weeks then I've ever seen you. Yuugi makes you _want_ to be happy, and I think Egypt can only benefit from that. Add into that, that Yuugi would make an excellent Queen and you should at least try."

Atemu sat back down on the bed and considered Seto's advice. The thought of going to Domino and surprising Yuugi, seeing where he lived and had grown up, meeting his grandfather and friends - it was very tempting. It was something he'd thought about before, but always dismissed. "And you're certain that Ryou and Jou think Yuugi will like it?"

"At the very least, they think you'll be able to get an answer," Seto replied gently. "One way or the other, you'll know whether or not you need to start putting Mutou Yuugi behind you."

Just hearing that was a little bit like being kicked in the stomach. Atemu was stunned by the realization of how much he did not want that. He wanted to fight for their relationship; he wanted a second chance that didn't include Vivian and her crazy plans. "Alright," he said, surprising himself with his agreement. "You win. I'll go to Domino."

Seto grinned. "You leave tonight on the 8:00pm flight." He presented a plane ticket with a flourish.

Amazed, Atemu took the ticket and confirmed the time and date. "I can't believe you booked this already. What if I had said no?"

"We had plans to sedate you, tie you up and mail you to Japan."

"I may not know everything about being the pharaoh, but I do know that's illegal," Atemu said dryly, though he couldn't help smiling. The knowledge that he was going to see Yuugi again was... well, there were no words to describe it, just a delicious flush of excitement. He looked back down at the ticket and hoped that this trip would turn out far better than the last.

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Please review!


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N:** I think I'm going to throw you for a real spin with this one. Enjoy!

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Considering that it had been summer the last time he was in Japan, it was a bit of a shock to get off of the plane and realize that it was freezing outside. Atemu shivered and reached for his carry-on bag, pulling out the light jacket that Ryou had pushed on him at the last minute. He'd taken it thinking that he wouldn't really need it, but now he was relieved that Ryou had insisted that he take it along "just in case". It was pouring outside, and in spite of the jacket he was soaked and shivering within seconds. The rest of the passengers were in an equal rush to get inside, so it seemed to take hours before he was finally able to step inside Domino Airport.

"I hate this time of the year," he said under his breath, pushing a sopping mass of gold bangs out of his face. He'd visited other countries before during autumn and winter, of course, but somehow he always managed to forget just how _miserable_ it could get. He was used to rain, but no matter how much he travelled he never seemed to get used to that awful damp chill that seeped down to his bones.

"Atemu! Hey, Atemu!"

The shout cut easily through the chattering voices of the crowd, and Atemu's head snapped around. There were only a handful of people in Japan who would speak to him so casually, and he thought he recognized that voice - yes, there was Malik. He was grinning and pushing his way through the people towards Atemu, apparently ignorant of the fact that several people were glaring at him. Another young woman was following close behind him, making apologies.

"Malik," Atemu said when Malik was close enough, giving him a warm smile. "How have you been?"

"Good, but I'm much better now that you're here," Malik said with a grin, and then without warning he stepped forward and threw his arms around Atemu. The prince almost pushed him away out of instinct, but stilled at the last second. Awkwardly, he patted Malik's back.

"We should collect his bags, Malik," said the woman gently.

"Oh, right." Malik released Atemu and took a step back. "That's... I'll get them."

"Thank you," Atemu said once he was gone.

"It's no problem. My brother can be a little exuberant sometimes, and he often forgets that not everyone is as sociable as he is," she replied. "My name is Isis Ishtar. It is good to meet you, your highness."

"You can call me Atemu," he said immediately. Seto, much to his relief, had gotten tickets that enabled Atemu to fly without being recognized. The absolute last thing he wanted was for someone to realize who he was and bring the attention of the media down on top of them. This time he wanted things to be just between him and Yuugi, with no cameras allowed.

"Then you can call me Isis," she said. "We'll take you to your hotel. Malik is going to spend the night there with you. But if you rather... he didn't know if you would want to see Yuugi now or..." She trailed off and glanced at him expectantly.

Atemu knew that he should wait. He was tired after the long flight and he had a headache and he hadn't eaten for quite some time, having been too nervous before he left. But now that he was less than an hour's drive from Yuugi, he didn't want to waste any time. "I'd like to go now, if we could," he said firmly.

"You don't want to go change first?"

"No." For possibly the first time in his life, Atemu was willing to disregard his dishevelled appearance because he knew - hoped - that Yuugi would be so happy to see him he wouldn't care.

"I thought you would feel that way," Isis said, a knowing look in her eyes. "Yuugi should be helping his grandfather out in the shop right about this time, so we should have perfect timing. I see that Malik's got your luggage. He's always had a way of persuading people to do things much faster than they normally would. Come along, then. It's about a thirty minute drive back into downtown Domino, and the sooner we leave the better chance we've got of beating traffic."

He followed the two siblings through the airport and back out into the rain. Once they got to the car, Isis switched the heat on. It felt good, but Atemu was still thoroughly chilled. "How can you live here?" he asked, holding his hands closer to the blowing vent.

Isis looked over at him in confusion, then smiled in understanding. "Oh, you get used to it," she said. "It's not that bad after you've been here for a little while. Actually, in the middle of winter the snow can be quite beautiful."

Out of politeness, Atemu refrained from saying that he had a difficult time believing that. "Are you looking forward to visiting Egypt?" he asked Malik, turning his head to look into the backseat.

"A little," Malik said, trying to sound as unenthused as possible. "I mean, it's not like I really care whether or not I see Mariku again. I've thought about him once or twice, yeah, but on the whole it wouldn't bother me if something came between us."

"Yeah right," Isis muttered, rolling her eyes. Louder, she added, "Oh, I see. So that's why you've been walking around the house for the past two weeks worrying about what you should bring with you and whether Mariku will find you cute anymore. And is that also why you spent half of my last paycheck buying new clothing?"

Malik flushed. "I needed new things," he said defensively, pouting and crossing his arms.

Atemu coughed to cover up a laugh. "Well, if it makes you feel any better I think that Mariku has missed you quite a bit. He'd never admit it, of course, but Bakura has mentioned several times that if you don't get out there soon he's going to have to push Mariku off of the nearest balcony. And the sad thing is, I'm beginning to think that he actually means it. If you hadn't agreed to come, I was planning to borrow a leaf out of my cousin's book and tie you up and ship you out there."

"Seto actually threatened to do that to you?" Malik laughed out loud at the idea. "Oh man, you should've refused to come. I'd have loved to have had a picture of Yuugi's face when he opened up that package."

"Do you think it would've been a happy picture?" Atemu asked hesitantly.

There was such a long pause from the back that Atemu couldn't resist turning around again. He found that Malik was watching him with a thoughtful, searching expression that was unnerving. Just when he couldn't take the silence anymore, Malik spoke. "I've known Yuugi for a long time, Atemu. And I can honestly say that I've never seen him as miserable as I have during these past few months. Even when he broke up with Anzu, he wasn't like this. I know that he went through something really traumatizing with Vivian, but it's more than that. He left a part of himself with you. I can only hope that you being here helps him to find it again."

It wasn't very often that Atemu was rendered speechless, but Malik had just succeeded where many others had failed. He had to try to speak a couple of times before he was able to make anything come out, and then all he could say was, "I hope you're right."

**TDOL**

Business at the Kame Game Shop was exceptional, even for a Saturday afternoon. Kaiba Corp had recently released a brand new gaming console, and every child in town wanted one. Yuugi barely had the time to straighten out the shop a little whenever there was a minute between crowds, never mind sitting down or eating. At just past three, the store emptied out and he dared to breathe when a good five minutes went by and no one else came in. He glanced at over his grandfather, only to see the stool where the man had been sitting empty. It was no wonder, Sugoroku had been saying for the past two hours that he needed to go to the bathroom.

The shop looked like a bomb had gone off. Yuugi slowly began putting merchandise back where it belonged, noting that it really only served to make the stock look pretty sad - there just wasn't enough of it left to look right. He was in the middle of trying to figure out how he could get Malik to come over and help for a little while when the door opened again, along with the tingle of the little bell that had been going practically non-stop all morning. He turned around.

"Welcome to - oh." The last person he had been expecting to see was standing in the doorway. The standard greeting died in his throat.

"Hello, Yuugi," Mazaki Anzu said softly, an unexpectedly shy smile on her face as she let the door fall closed behind her. She was wearing a gorgeous blue dress that matched her eyes. The fabric fit closely to her curves and floated lightly around her thighs as she stepped forward, and Yuugi swallowed hard as he lifted his head to meet those eyes he knew so well.

"Anzu-chan, what are you doing here?" he asked, surprised. He'd only seen Anzu once or twice since he'd got back from Egypt because she and Otogi had been so busy. Apparently the two of them had entered several dancing contests while Yuugi was preoccupied with the show, and they were had become fairly popular - enough so that a dance company in America had extended them an offer to visit. She'd told him that they would be gone for at least six months. "I thought you said you were going to America."

"We did. Now we're back," Anzu replied, tucking a few strands of chestnut hair behind her ear. "It wasn't - well, America was different. From what I thought it would be."

Yuugi studied her for a minute. For as long as he could remember, Anzu had been just as obsessed with America as he had been with Egypt. It seemed slightly ironic that both of them had come away from their respective visits disenchanted. "What happened?"

"Oh, you know. The cities were large and the dancers were skilled. The usual." She shrugged a bare shoulder and approached, reaching past to help him sort through the stock. It was something she'd done often in her spare time when they were younger. Yuugi watched her for a moment before he started in again, relieved for the help even if it was coming from an unexpected source. They'd completed two full shelving units before he spoke again.

"When did you come back?"

"We arrived two nights ago," she replied. "It was a long trip, Yuugi. Longer than I thought it was going to be. Otogi got up and went straight into practice, but I just couldn't face it today. I'm still exhausted. Even just walking over here tired me out." She waved off Yuugi's offer to sit down and kept sorting, an odd look on her face as she worked, and he couldn't figure out why she was there. Had she come to get the juicy details about the show? Was she hoping that her plan had worked so she no longer had to feel guilty?

"You know, Anzu-chan," he said slowly, "you and Otogi - if you want to get married, that's your right. I wouldn't stop you. Not that it would be my place to, but still. I just thought you might want to know that."

Anzu stilled, and then she turned to look at him. "I know."

"Yes, of course you do," he muttered, flushing. "I just -"

"I guess you probably think it's a little odd, me coming here. I know you don't like me very much anymore. And to be honest, I don't blame you." Anzu was trying hard to smile, but her chin was quivering. "I just wanted to - oh god, never mind. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come."

"Anzu-chan!" He caught her wrist when she started to turn away, forcing her to stop. Now he knew that something was really wrong. There were tears in Anzu's eyes, and even as he looked up into her face a few spilled over and ran down her cheeks. It was pitiful, but even while crying he couldn't help thinking that she was still breathtakingly beautiful. It made him all the more resolved to not let her leave until he knew what was wrong. Impulsively, he crossed to the door and locked it, flipping the sign to closed. An hour or so of rest wouldn't hurt any of them.

Through this Anzu remained silent, now not doing anything to stop the tears now freely falling. She didn't protest when he took her hand and led her into the back room. Sugoroku glanced up at the two of them in surprise from where he'd been sorting stock, but he didn't say anything. Yuugi shot him a grateful look and took Anzu into the kitchen, where she sat down at the table. He got her a glass of water and a box of tissues and then sat down across from her, feeling awkward.

How many times had they been in these exact spots when they were children? Anzu had come over for dinner after school countless times, usually whenever she didn't have dance classes. They would eat together with his grandfather and then play a few games before she went home for the night. He realized that he'd missed this. As close as he was to Jou, Ryou and Malik, Anzu had been one of his very first friends before they'd become boyfriend and girlfriend. She had a fresh, funny outlook on life that had kept him going when sometimes that was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't like seeing her in pain.

It took a couple of minutes for her to get herself under control again. She dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose, and then took several sips of the water. "I'm sorry," she said again. "Oh god, this is really embarrassing. I didn't come over here just to cry all over you. I was hoping that I'd do a better job of holding it together than I have, but I guess the stress is really getting to me."

"That's understandable," Yuugi said, taking a closer look at her. Now that they were under better lighting, he could tell that she had lost weight. Her face looked pale and washed out even with the make-up she was wearing. "I guess America wasn't what you thought it would be."

She gave a little laugh. "That's one way of putting it, yeah."

"What happened?" he asked again.

Anzu's shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "Otogi and I were really good together, Yuugi. Good enough to win some of the competitions around here. But going to America was a little like getting a wake-up call, I guess. Some of the people there are so talented that it's really amazing. You can tell they've put years into getting where they are. One team have been partners since they were both seven years old." Her eyes were shining as she spoke. "Watching the two of them move together was - there are no words to describe it."

"But you and Otogi are amazing, too," Yuugi pointed out. Much as he hated to admit, he knew that it was true. Back when he and Anzu had still been dating, he'd attended some of the rehearsals. He'd seen how the two of them moved together. There was a natural, fluid grace to their movements that made them look as though they _matched_. In retrospect, it made him wonder how he had been so blind before.

"Thanks Yuugi," Anzu said with a tiny smile. "But these guys - they were just so much better. I don't know. I feel like it made me realize that Otogi and I can't really measure up to them, that's all." She sighed. "And then Otogi and I had to cut our time there short when his father ended up in the hospital. Now I'm not sure if we're going to go back. I don't even know if I _want _to go back. I feel like being in America made me question if I even want to dance at all."

Yuugi's eyes widened. For as long as he could remember, Anzu had dreamed about being a dancer. This must have even more serious than he'd thought if she was thinking about giving up on her dream. "But Anzu-chan! You've always wanted to dance."

"Yeah, well. I'm starting to realize that I don't have to be a dancer. There are other jobs out there that include dancing in some way, like teaching."

"Well... how does Otogi feel about that?" Yuugi asked, feeling blindsided by this unexpected revelation.

"I haven't told him yet. I know he's not going to take it very well. He's convinced that the two of us can still take America by storm." Anzu paused and took a deep breath. "To be honest, Yuugi, I'm starting to wonder if I make the right choice in deciding to be with Otogi at all."

Now Yuugi was really staring. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying..." She reached across the table and tried to take his hand. Too stunned to react, Yuugi let her do it. "I want to know if you're interested in giving our relationship another shot."

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Please review!


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N:** Please remember that I write fanfics because I enjoy doing so. I don't_ have_ to do it, I'm certainly not being paid, and I do not appreciate getting anon reviews complaining about a lack of updates during the rare week that I can't. I have a life outside of the computer that comes first, and a lot of you need to remember that bitching at someone is not the way to get what you want.

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Anzu's question hung in the air for several seconds before Yuugi wrapped his mind around the enormity of what she had just suggested. Actually, that was a lie: he felt like he couldn't even _begin_ to understand it, that it would take several hours before he would fully grasp what she wanted. "You... I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you right," he said at last, looking down at their joined hands. Her fingers were soft where they rested on his skin, and he couldn't help noticing the stark contrast between her pale skin and his lightly tanned hand.

"Being with Otogi isn't what I thought it would be," Anzu admitted. She made no move to pull her hand back. "I can't help comparing him to you, Yuugi, and it just seems as though a lot of the time he falls short in my expectations. You were so sweet when we were together. Actually, even afterwards... You were always a gentleman. Otogi can be selfish. He doesn't always put me or our relationship first."

"You've been with him for a while. Maybe the honeymoon is finally over and you have to deal with reality," he said, attempting a weak joke that fell flat. He could tell by the look on her face that he was not having the reaction that she wanted. Had she been expecting that he would jump into her arms and eagerly agree? Or had she been hoping that he would send her away, back to Otogi? With Anzu, he could never tell. It was so hard to know what was going on behind her beautiful blue eyes.

"Or maybe I'm just realizing what he's really like. Maybe I'm finally realizing that I made a mistake." Boldly, she began stroking the back of his hand.

"Anzu-chan..." He paused and took a deep breath. He knew he had to tread carefully. Anzu was his friend and he did not want to ruin their friendship by saying the wrong thing. But more than that, until he had the time to think about what she was proposing he didn't want to close any doors. Still, he had to know. "Just so that I'm clear... if I did say that I was interested in being with you, you would be willing to give up on Otogi to be with me? You would break things off with him?"

"Yes," Anzu confirmed without skipping a beat.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "If I said that I wanted you to stop dancing with him, that I didn't want you to see him anymore, would you agree to that?"

This time, she hesitated for just a little bit longer before she replied. "Yes."

Yuugi stared at her for a couple of minutes, long enough that she began to squirm, before he spoke again. "I need to think about this," he said at last. "Is that okay?"

She nodded. "I hope that you'll be able to forgive me for my foolishness and give us another chance, Yuugi. What I did before, how I ended our relationship, it was wrong of me. If I could go back and do things differently, I would. For one thing, I never would have broken up with you. I didn't realize it at the time, but you were everything that I wanted. I guess I just had to date someone else to realize that. I... I hope you realize you feel the same way."

There was really nothing Yuugi could say to that. "I need to think," he repeated, because at least it was the truth. Anzu had broken his heart when she decided to end their relationship. Even if he did choose to get back together with her, it would be a long time before he would be able to trust her again. He wasn't even sure if he would _ever _be able to get to that point again. And he didn't know if he could be in a relationship where there was a lack of trust.

"That's fair." Anzu looked down at their hands before she sighed. "I... I guess I should go."

"I think that's a good idea," he said, gently pulling his hand out from under hers. He stood up and watched as Anzu rose as well, and as they stepped away from the table he couldn't help noticing that she was darting little looks at him whenever she thought he wasn't paying attention. It was the same way she used to act back when they started dating, and it hadn't taken him long to realize that those little looks meant she was hoping that he would hug or kiss her. At the time, he'd always given into her desires gladly. But now he just pretended that he hadn't noticed. He wasn't ready for that kind of contact between them, and he didn't know if he would ever be.

"So... I guess I'll call you then," Anzu said when they got to the back door.

"No, I'll call you," Yuugi told her. He wanted to be the one in the driver's seat. He wanted to reach out to her only when he'd made a decision. He hoped, though he sincerely doubted, it would be enough, that she would get the hint to keep her distance until he'd had some time. "Thanks for coming by, Anzu-chan, and for helping with the shop."

She smiled a little. "It was no problem. Bye."

"Bye." He kept the door open, watching as she made her way down to the street. She turned around just once to wave good-bye, and because he felt like he had to he waved back. He was about to let the door fall shut when he noticed that there was a car pulling up to the curb. It looked like Isis's car, and he was a little surprised to see that it was indeed Isis getting out of the car. She didn't come by the game shop very often. Did he and Malik have plans today? Maybe they were supposed to -

And then all of Yuugi's thoughts stuttered to a stop. Because the passenger side of the car was also opening, and the last person that he had expected to see was getting out. Atemu looked gorgeous, even if he was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a lightweight dark blue jacket that wasn't at all suitable for the current weather. His hair was hanging in damp tendrils around his face, and all Yuugi wanted to do was run over there and find out if his memories of Atemu's silky hair fit the reality.

Instead, he ducked back inside before Atemu or Isis spotted him. His heart was suddenly racing a mile a minute and he felt lightheaded. In all of the scenarios he'd imagined when it came to seeing Atemu again, he'd always thought that it would be in Egypt and that it would be happening because Yuugi was initiating it. He'd never expected that Atemu might come to Domino. This had Jou, Ryou and Malik written all over it and he suddenly really wanted to call his friends to yell at them.

Unfortunately, there wasn't time for that. He didn't need to look out the window to know that Atemu, Malik and Isis were probably walking towards the door right now. He had about two seconds to pull himself together before someone knocked, and if he didn't answer Yuugi knew from experience that Malik would just pick the lock if necessary and come right in. Sugoroku had always encouraged his three friends to make themselves at home, and for the first time ever Yuugi cursed his grandfather for being so open and welcoming. It meant that, short of escaping out the front door of the game shop, he had no choice but to stand here and face Atemu whether he was ready for it or not.

He cast a speculative look towards the shop, wondering if he had the time to make it. But no - there was a knock on the door, and when he didn't move (couldn't move) the knob twisted and the door swung open. Atemu stepped inside and stopped short when he spotted Yuugi, his crimson eyes widening. Yuugi stared back, knowing that there must have been a 'deer in the headlights' look on his face. Up close, Atemu looked even better than before. His skin was nicely tanned from hours spent in the sun, and his clothing clung to his frame in a very nice way that made it look understated but expensive. Somehow he'd forgotten how handsome Atemu was.

"Hi," he squeaked, and then immediately wanted to slap himself in the forehead. Three months and that was the best greeting that he could come up with?

Atemu smiled. It was a spectacular smile. "Hi," he replied. "Is it okay if I come in?"

Since his throat didn't seem to be working right, Yuugi merely nodded. Atemu closed the door behind him, which meant Malik had retreated and was probably hiding somewhere. He'd always had a fairly strong sense of self preservation. Yuugi clenched his hands into fists, darting a quick look at the door to the game shop. "I, um, did you want, like, a drink or something?"

"That would be nice," said Atemu. "The plane ride was fairly long."

"Yeah, I know." Yuugi realized that he shouldn't have said it right as he saw Atemu's jaw tightening at the reminder. He winced and moved over to the refrigerator to take out a couple cans of soda. He handed one of them over and watched as Atemu immediately popped the top and drank half of it without pause. He couldn't help smiling a little. "Wow, you really were thirsty."

"It's the recycled air. I've always had that reaction." Atemu set his can down gently on the table and glanced around the room. It occurred to Yuugi that this was the first time Atemu was seeing his home and he followed Atemu's curious gaze, noticing all of the little things that didn't look so good: the dirty dishes piled in the sink, the worn state of the appliances, the scratches on the kitchen table. It was completely at odds to the sort of life that Atemu was used to.

"I didn't know you were coming," he said defensively. It sounded lame.

"Yuugi, it's fine. Your house is beautiful and I like it very much. I've wondered what it might look like, and now I see that it suits you perfectly." Atemu was smiling as he spoke, but there was a serious glint in his eyes. "You are... not happy that I've come."

"More like I'm surprised. I wasn't exactly given advance notice."

"Ryou and Jou thought that it might be a good idea for me to come to you. And before you get mad, I didn't need much persuasion. I've missed you a lot, Yuugi."

The intensity of Atemu's stare made a sweat break out over Yuugi's body. He had forgotten how it felt to be looked at like his very soul was being examined. "I... I missed you too," he said hoarsely. It was the truth, but he felt like it was a lie. He was very conscious of the fact that Anzu had missed Atemu by mere minutes. If she had stayed even a few seconds longer, or if Atemu had shown up just a little earlier... And he knew that Atemu would have known who she was immediately. God, that would've been awful.

A slight smile broke out across Atemu's face. "Really? I... I have to admit that I'd wondered if you would miss me."

"Of course I did," Yuugi said, more firmly this time. "Atemu, even leaving aside... everything else... you're still one of my friends. I missed you just as much as I missed the others."

It only occurred to him how that would sound, and that it wasn't what Atemu wanted to hear, just as the door to the shop swung open and Sugoroku walked in. By then it was too late, and the brief expression of pain had faded from Atemu's face, leaving the composed prince of Egypt in its place. Yuugi stared at him for an extra beat longer than was polite, wishing that he could take those words back. That wasn't what he'd meant to say at _all_. How did he always manage to mess everything up?

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you had another visitor," Sugoroku said, pausing in the doorway. He glanced at his grandson curiously. "Did Anzu-chan leave? I didn't hear her go."

God. It was a little like being punched in the stomach, seeing the sudden realization in Atemu's eyes. The man took another look around the kitchen, like he could divine Anzu's reason for being there solely from the state of the room. Yuugi was relieved that he couldn't. "She went out the back way, Jii-chan," he said quickly. "She just came to tell me about her trip to America. She and Otogi-san had to come home early because his father got sick."

"Oh, what a shame. She was so excited about going, too." While he spoke, Sugoroku's gaze had settled on Atemu. There was a knowing glint in his lavender eyes, and Yuugi knew he'd recognized the prince. He tried to will his grandfather to behave as Sugoroku said, "And who might you be? I thought I'd met all of Yuugi's friends, but you don't look familiar."

"This is Atemu," Yuugi said, deliberately not mentioning where he and Atemu had met. Bringing up the show would only give Sugoroku additional fodder. "Atemu, this is my grandfather, Mutou Sugoroku."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mutou-san." Ever the polite one, Atemu bowed slightly and then extended a hand in greeting. Sugoroku crossed the distance between them and took it with a firm shake. "Yuugi and I met a couple of months ago. Ever since he told me what his home town was like, I've wanted the chance to come and see it for myself."

"Domino is a wonderful little place," Sugoroku agreed. "No matter how many exotic places I travel to, I couldn't seem to stop myself from coming back." He released Atemu's hand. "Yuugi, I think I can take care of the shop for the rest of the afternoon. You two can go do whatever you like."

"Are you sure, Jii-chan?" Yuugi asked.

"Of course, as long as Atemu agrees to come back for dinner tomorrow."

"I'd love to," said Atemu. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. I'd like to get to know you better." Sugoroku smiled back before he turned and left, gently closing the door to the kitchen behind him. Yuugi wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or not. On the one hand, his grandfather hadn't said anything mortifying yet. But on the other hand, he was now alone with Atemu. His stomach was filled with butterflies as he turned to face the prince.

"Would you, um, like to take a walk downtown?" he suggested, thinking that it might be best if he got Atemu out of the house.

Atemu nodded. Yuugi gave him a tentative smile and fetched his sneakers, shoving them on carelessly. They left the house together, and he noticed that the rain was finally slowing to a stop. The sun hadn't come through the clouds yet, but at least they wouldn't get wet. They walked in silence, mostly because Atemu didn't seem to be inclined to speak and Yuugi wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. There were a lot of things - too many - swirling around in his mind.

"How is everyone doing?" he ventured at last, since it seemed like a safe place to begin.

"Good. Ryou and Jou are adapting to Egypt a lot better than I thought they would. I'm sure Jou told you that Shizuka was accepted to a university near there, so he's pretty excited about that. He and Seto have gotten a lot closer over the past couple of months, and Ryou and Bakura are as strong as ever." He paused. "And Mariku is just driving us all nuts."

Yuugi grinned. "He misses Malik?"

"About as much as I missed you."

The unexpected comment nearly made Yuugi trip. He caught himself just in time and turned to look at Atemu, flustered. He hadn't been expecting Atemu to return to the conversation from the kitchen as quickly as he had. Remembering what he'd said, he flushed. "Atemu..."

"I've surprised you," Atemu said, frowning slightly. "Yuugi, I'm sorry, but I can't help myself. I've thought about you every day since you left Egypt. Talking to you through e-mail or over the phone just isn't the same. It's not enough. I wanted to see you in person." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Maybe it wasn't right for me to just show up here without giving you warning, but I was afraid you would tell me not to come."

"I don't know what I would have said. I hope I wouldn't have." Yuugi considered that for a moment. Would he have told Atemu to stay away? Looking at him now, standing in downtown Domino, was a little surreal. He'd gotten used to thinking about Atemu in connection to what had happened in Egypt. It was kind of nice to be able to break up those two pictures. "I really have missed you too. I didn't mean what I said earlier. Well, I did, but I didn't mean it how it came out. You are my friend, but I've missed you differently than everyone else. If that makes sense."

"It does, and I'm glad to hear that." Atemu was smiling slightly. "I can stay in Domino for at least a week. I was hoping that the two of us would be able to spend some time together and... figure things out."

"I'd like that," Yuugi said shyly, realizing that it was the truth. Atemu's appearance had been a total surprise, but he was not displeased at the thought of spending the next week with him. He tried to push aside thoughts of Anzu and smiled back.

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Please review!


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! This story will be a tiny bit longer because one of my friends asked me to extend it if I could. So, enjoy!

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Domino was a smaller city than Atemu had been expecting. Truly, there really wasn't very much to do, so he and Yuugi just walked around for a little while. After Yuugi took him back to the hotel, he retired to his hotel suite without bothering to stop at the restaurant. He closed and locked the door before taking off the jacket Ryou had leant to him. His luggage had been brought up to his room, and he was looking forward to having a hot shower and then falling asleep for a while. Now that he'd had the chance to talk to Yuugi again, he was convinced that he would shortly be having some good dreams. It would be a relief to be able to go one night without thinking about Vivian and how things might have ended up.

Once he'd finished showering, he opened the bathroom door to walk out - and then he stopped, speechless. Because sitting on his bed was the very last person he had been expecting to see. Vivian Wong smiled at him. She was wearing one of the complimentary bathrobes that had been hanging in his closet. Her hair had been pulled up into loose curls on top of her head; some of the curls had escaped and were falling against her cheekbones to gently frame her face. For possibly the first time ever, she was not wearing any make-up. As Atemu stared, the only thought that came to mind was that he fervently hoped she was not naked beneath the robe.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he finally ground out between gritted teeth. He was suddenly very conscious of the fact that all he was wearing was a white towel wrapped around his hips. He hadn't anticipated that he would have company when he opened the door, and now he regretted not having put something more substantial on. Vivian was looking a little too interested in his bare chest for his taste.

Vivian's smile only grew wider when he spoke. "I came to apologize to you, Atemu. Everyone's told me what a bad girl I've been, and I thought that's what you would want."

"What I want is for you to get out!" Atemu snapped, glancing at the door. The second she left he was leaving the hotel and going straight to the game shop or Malik's house, whichever was closer. There was no way he was spending another minute alone. It had been foolish to travel without bodyguards, and he wished that Bakura or Mariku were around. They would've had no problem at all getting rid of Vivian.

"Oh, come on. You don't have to say that. I'm just trying to be nice." She pouted, pushing her lips together into an exaggerated frown. "Besides, I'm not breaking any rules. Your father told me that I was no longer welcome in Egypt, but I don't think I have to remind you that we're not in Egypt anymore." She pointed to the window, which framed a spectacular view of the Domino harbour. "His reach doesn't extend beyond the borders of your land, and that means I can be here in Domino City if I want to."

"That's true, but you still don't have the right to be in my hotel room. That's more than just breaking a rule, it's breaking the law!" Yet even as he spoke, he could tell that it was pointless. Vivian had never listened to him before, so why would she start now? He let out a sigh and leaned back against the bathroom door. God he wished he'd listened to Bakura when his friend had suggested that Atemu learn how to operate a gun. He could have used one right about then.

"It's not my fault that the clerk downstairs wasn't doing his job. I mean really, if they don't want someone to borrow room keys they shouldn't make it so easy." Vivian stood up, and the robe loosened just enough for him to be able to tell that she was indeed naked. He deliberately averted his eyes.

"Why are you here?" he asked, filled with a sudden weariness. Even now, even after his father had stepped in and Atemu had given her a dire warning, it seemed that he was not free of Vivian. He was beginning to think that he never would be. He didn't want to have to worry about her presence every time that he left Egypt. She would be a constant shadow that hung over his life.

"I wanted to give you one last chance to make the right choice," Vivian replied. She spoke as though it should have been obvious to him, and she was offended that it wasn't. "Atemu, I don't understand why you insist on trying to be with that boy. Hasn't he ignored you over the past three months? Hasn't he tried to limit contact with you? Did you know that he had a visit from his old girlfriend tonight? She wants to get back together. Why would he chose you when he could have _her _back? You were his second choice before, so what makes you think that would be different now?"

Atemu flinched. He couldn't help it. He hadn't asked Yuugi about Anzu. It hadn't seemed like his place to do so, not when everything between them was still too unsettled. He'd told himself that Yuugi would have mentioned Anzu if he'd wanted Atemu to know and left it at that. But that had not stopped his curiosity from gnawing at him every minute that they spent together. He had wondered ever since Sugoroku had mentioned that Anzu had visited the game shop: had Anzu and Yuugi gotten back together?

Now Vivian had confirmed his fears, and he was not at all pleased about it. "Even if Yuugi did decide that he would rather be with Anzu, _you _would never be _my_ first choice. Or my second. Actually, you're not even _on_ the list," he replied.

Her gaze turned calculating. "It must bother you," she pressed.

"The only thing that is bothering me right now is you!" Atemu said, exasperated. He didn't like that Vivian had found something she could needle him about. Frankly, he didn't want her talking about Yuugi period. "Get out of here right now, Vivian. I mean it. And you stay away from Yuugi. If you touch him or anyone he cares about, so help me I won't be responsible for my actions."

Vivian stared at him for several seconds without speaking, and for the first time Atemu wondered if maybe his threat had actually gotten through to her. She seemed a little different this time around, a little more cognizant of what was going on around her. Perhaps the separation had been good for her. He folded his arms and looked back at her, making sure that his face didn't show any emotion. No matter how sane she seemed, he wasn't going to be fooled. He didn't want her around. He waited for the explosion that would surely be coming.

"Fine," Vivian said, and then she laced the robe shut and walked out of the room.

He stared after her, something hot closing his throat. It felt suspiciously like panic. He'd never seen Vivian accept a dismissal like that. She always had to have the last word in some way. The fact that she'd simply left did not bode well for anyone, especially since she had made it clear that she was not going to easily give up on him. Atemu walked quickly over to the door and locked it, though that felt like a useless gesture now that Vivian had proved how easily she could get inside. Then he searched his bag for his cell phone and dialed a familiar number with fingers that shook slightly.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end was groggy, but a welcome relief nevertheless.

"Jou?"

"Atemu! Hey!" Jou instantly sounded more awake. "How are you doing? Have you seen Yuugi yet? Man, you should've heard the voicemail he left on my phone earlier. He was -"

"Jou, I need to speak to Seto," Atemu said urgently. There was no time for him to have a casual chat with Jou, even though there was a part of him that was pretty curious about what Yuugi had said on that voice mail. He hoped that there would be time for that later.

There was a pause. "Okay," Jou said simply. "Hang on."

"Okay," Atemu whispered, even though he didn't think that Jou heard him. He paced back and forth the length of his hotel room while he listened to the sound of footsteps and distant people talking. He thought that he could hear Jou and Bakura - ("who's on the phone?" "it's Atemu, he sounds upset" "fuck") - and then more footsteps before the welcome voice of his cousin came over the line.

"Atemu, what's wrong?"

"Seto." It was the only word that Atemu could force out for a long minute. His legs suddenly felt weak and he sank down on the bed, feeling ridiculously like a little child was waiting for his daddy to fix things. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Vivian just left my hotel room."

Apparently, when pressed, Seto had quite the colorful vocabulary. He swore steadily for about thirty seconds before demanding, "What do you mean Vivian was in your hotel room?"

"I took a shower and when I came out she was there. She said that since I wasn't in Egypt anymore she didn't have to stay away from me." Atemu dragged a shaking hand across his face. There was a sour taste in the back of his throat. "She said she wanted to give me one last chance to decide to be with her. She was_ naked_, Seto."

"Good lord," Seto muttered. "I never thought - damn, I can't believe I didn't see this coming. Are you alright? She didn't try to touch you, did she?" His cousin sounded furious.

"No," Atemu said emphatically, shuddering at the idea. At one time, sex with Vivian had been highly enjoyable. She'd always been the more adventurous between the two of them, and he had to admit that she'd introduced him to new positions and ideas that he had never considered before. But now just the idea was enough to make him feel sick. It wasn't even about her cheating anymore, it was about the fact that he knew exactly how mentally unstable and dangerous she could be. He didn't even like thinking about how they had touched each other in the past.

Seto let out a sigh. It sounded like relief. "Atemu, where are you?"

"Still in my hotel room."

"Okay. Here's what I want you to do. I want you to check out of the hotel and call Malik, okay? Tell him exactly what happened. I don't think that Vivian will bother you again tonight, so you should be safe enough with him. At the very least, Malik has a good idea of what Vivian is capable of. Bakura, Mariku and I are going to catch the first flight out of Egypt."

Atemu was reluctant to admit it, but he was extremely relieved that his friends were coming. He'd been foolish to think he could handle this situation alone. "I'll do that," he said, and paused. "Seto?"

"Yes?"

"This time... you can tell Bakura and Mariku that I won't try to stop them from dealing with Vivian." He cleared his throat. "Permanently."

For a moment Seto remained silent. Then he said quietly, "I think that's a good idea. Hang up and call Malik, Atemu. Call me back and I'll stay on the line with you until I'm sure that you're safe again."

"Okay." Atemu hung up reluctantly, but he did not call Malik right away. He was troubled by what he had just given his permission for. Even though he'd threatened Vivian in the restaurant, he hadn't been expecting to ever see her again. He hadn't thought that he would have to follow through on his threat. Why couldn't she just leave him alone?

He closed his eyes again and sighed. It was useless to sit here and wonder why Vivian was the way she was. Obviously she was not going to change, and that meant steps had to be taken. Even if Yuugi decided to return to Egypt with him, Atemu did not want to spend the rest of his life wondering what would happen every time they left the country. And if Yuugi decided to stay in Japan, well, Vivian would still have to be dealt with. With renewed determination, he dialed Malik's number.

**YY**

Returning to her parent's house had almost made Anzu's time in America with Otogi seem like a dream. She closed the door behind her and let her bag fall to the ground, listening. Since no one came to greet her, she knew that meant her parents weren't home. That was more of a relief than she wanted to admit. Her mother had been a little suffocating ever since she'd returned: she was determined to do as much as she could to make sure that Anzu didn't go back to America. Anzu didn't have the heart to explain that her parents had no bearing on whether or not she went back with Otogi.

She exchanged her shoes for a pair of slippers and padded through the quiet house, up the stairs to her childhood bedroom. It was tempting to make some changes to the room, but she hadn't out of respect for her mother. Still, it really didn't fit her personality anymore. The walls had been painted a very pale pink, and when she was five her father had put up some wallpaper printed with tiny dancing shoes, ballet and jazz and several others. All of her furniture was white, and even her bedspread was white with more dancing shoes. It looked like the room of a little girl who dreamed of being a dancer.

That was not how she felt right now. She hadn't said as much to Yuugi, but being in America had made her question her own abilities, not just what she and Otogi could do together. Some of the people she had met while there, the things that they could do... that was dancing at a level that Anzu had never even _dreamed_ of. It had seriously undermined her confidence, to the point that when Otogi had received the news about his father she'd almost been relieved to have the excuse to return home.

She sat down on the bed and absently began massaging her feet while she checked her phone. Unsurprisingly, there were a couple of messages from Otogi. They hadn't spoken in a few days. He didn't even know that she was having doubts about their relationship, or that she was no longer wearing the ring he had given her. He definitely didn't know that she'd gone to visit Yuugi. Part of her felt guilty for going behind his back, but if Yuugi didn't want to start things up again she didn't want to end things with Otogi just in case. The thought of being alone was unappealing.

Anzu was so involved in reading her texts that she did not notice her door opening until it was too late. By the time that she registered the fact that she was not alone, there was no time to act. The woman in the doorway darted into the room and pushed her to the ground, kicking her cell phone away. "Don't move. Don't talk. I just want you to listen to me," the woman said. "I understand that you are Mutou Yuugi's ex-girlfriend and that tonight you went to visit him. Although I was occupied somewhere else, I know why you were there. You want to get back together with him, don't you?"

At first Anzu wasn't certain she was supposed to respond. But as the silence dragged on, she said shakily, "Y-yes. I broke up with him a few months ago and I wanted to see if he was still interested in being with me. Who are you?"

"My name is Vivian Wong, and you and I have the same goal." Apparently satisfied that Anzu was not going to try to fight back, Vivian sat back on her heels. "As of right now, the man that Yuugi met on that show has come to Domino to try and get Yuugi to move back to Egypt with him."

"What?" Anzu's eyes grew wide. Yuugi had not explained the full details of what had happened on the show. But he'd led her to believe that the relationship had not gone anywhere. "How do you know?"

"Because I'm in love with that man," Vivian said simply. "We were dating for several months, and he asked me to marry him. Unfortunately, before we could begin planning the wedding, I made a mistake. I was like you. I didn't know what I had." She paused, searching Anzu's face intently. "And now he keeps telling me that it's too late, but I feel like I have to try. But if he and Yuugi end up together..."

"Then we won't have a chance." The thought made Anzu feel a little sick. She regretted pushing Yuugi to go on the show in the first place. Well, actually she regretted breaking up with him. "What are you planning? Why did you break into my house?"

"I broke in because I needed to speak to you somewhere that no one else could hear. I think that you and I could be very helpful to each other," Vivian explained. "Would you be willing?"

Anzu thought fast, realizing that this was an opportunity that would not last long. Vivian had not answered her question about what she was planning. She was probably reluctant to do so until Anzu gave her agreement. She sat up and looked closer at Vivian, wondering if the woman could be trusted. She wasn't entirely sure... but if Vivian was right and she'd just made a mistake, didn't she deserve a second chance? Didn't they both deserve a second chance?

"Alright," she said at last. "I'll do it."

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Please review!


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N:** Hope this chapter shocks you all. Enjoy!

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The night with Atemu had gone surprisingly well. Yuugi thoroughly enjoyed himself, far more so than he'd thought he would, and when he went home and got into bed it ended up being one of the few nights since Egypt that he didn't have any nightmares. Not a single one. He fell asleep within minutes of lying down, and he slept straight through for a full ten hours. He woke up the next morning feeling pleasantly rested, and stared at the ceiling in surprise. Normally he would have got up right away - a change of scenery always helped - but he realized that he didn't really feel like it. Instead, he lingered, allowing himself bask in the feeling of not being tired, or stressed, or of having to miss someone.

Because he had. Missed Atemu. Even more so than he'd realized. Having Atemu around again was a little like being given permission to relax after months of intense work. There was an ease between them that he'd never experienced before. With Atemu, Yuugi didn't have to worry about trying to pretend. He could just _be_, and Atemu didn't care. Liked him that way, even. It didn't matter where they went or what they did together. The important part was being with Atemu. And the weird thing was, he wasn't even aware of how much he'd needed that until Atemu was here with him. Right now, Yuugi couldn't imagine waking up and never seeing Atemu again. He just couldn't.

It made the differences between his relationship with Atemu and his relationship with Anzu blindingly obvious. When she'd broken up with him, it had hurt. There was no denying that. Yuugi had been devastated at the time. But he had never once thought to himself that he could not live without Anzu in his life. He'd never once thought that a future without her at his side would be hard, nearly impossible, to put up with. He'd missed her, yes, but what he had felt for Anzu was nothing compared to what he felt for Atemu. The clarity of that realization left him breathless, and he knew that he might never have come to that conclusion had he not been parted from both of them for several months and then seen them again with no warning.

"I don't want to be with Anzu," Yuugi said out loud, testing the words. Tasting them. They felt right. He wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to be with Atemu, either, but a good night's sleep and some time to think had left him with the certainty that he did not want Anzu. She had done too much damage, and during their subsequent absence too much had changed. They were both different people now. Yuugi was no longer the shy teenager who'd thought the world of her, and she wasn't the starry-eyed girl she had been either.

Maybe if they'd never broken up - or if Anzu had realized her mistake before he went on the show - but there was no way of knowing, was there? The point was, those things had not happened and Yuugi could not bring himself to ignore that. When he tried to imagine a life with Anzu, he couldn't do it. The pictures in his head did not mesh up. Anzu didn't know what she wanted, whether she wanted America or a quieter life here in Japan, but he suspected that once she got over what seemed to be a bad case of lack of self confidence she would go back. And he did not want to live in America. Wasn't sure whether he wanted Egypt or Japan, but America had never been a part of the equation.

He sighed into his pillow and then rolled over, pushing himself into a seated position. His back felt stiff from lying in one position for so long, but it was an inconvenience he was willing to put up with if it meant that he could feel this energized every morning. He actually felt like he could go downstairs and face the rest of the stock that was waiting to be put out. And if doing that work meant that he would be able to avoid talking to Anzu, well, that was just how it was.

The shop was quiet when he got to the bottom of the stairs. Apparently the insanity from the day before had made them enough money to warrant a late opening, because there was no sign of his grandfather and all of the lights were off. Glad he'd gotten dressed before he came down, Yuugi unlocked the doors and switched the sign to Open before he keyed up the register and put some money into it. Surprisingly enough, no customers were waiting outside. It gave him the chance to drag a few boxes of stock out into the shop, boxes Sugoroku had already gone through, and start putting the merchandise out.

After about forty minutes of steady work, the little bell above the shop door rang. Yuugi looked up. "Hi, welcome to -" He stopped much more quickly this time, eyebrows drawing together at the sight of Mazaki Anzu in what felt like a bizarre case of déjà vu. Except this time around, she was wearing sneakers, a pair of blue jeans and a pink sweater that was a size too large. It kept slipping off of her right shoulder.

"Hi," Anzu said, letting the door fall shut. She turned around and locked it, flipping the sign back to Closed. Yuugi watched her do this in stunned silence.

"Um," he said, wondering how he was supposed to approach this. He had a distinct memory of asking her not to contact him, that he would be the one to call her, and at the time she'd seemed to be okay with that. "Anzu-chan, not that I mind you coming here, but I thought -"

"I know, I was supposed to wait for your call, but I've got something I need to talk to you about. And it couldn't wait, Yuugi, believe me." There was a slightly wild look around Anzu's big blue eyes. "I know that you probably need to watch the shop, but do you think we could go upstairs to your bedroom? This isn't something that anyone should overhear."

Feeling more baffled by the minute, Yuugi just looked at her for a couple of minutes. His initial instinct was to refuse. Anzu hadn't been inside of his bedroom since before the two of them had gotten together. Sugoroku liked having her around, but he wasn't stupid enough to allow his grandson and his girlfriend free access to a closed door. He couldn't help wondering if Anzu's desire to go upstairs were really all that innocent. But on the other hand, there was a level of panic in her face that he thought might be genuine. Anzu was a good dancer, but she'd never been a great actress.

"Alright," he said at last, figuring that it couldn't hurt as long as Sugoroku was asleep two rooms away. Carefully, he shelved the last of the merchandise and put the boxes away before he led her up the stairs. His room wasn't exactly clean, the bed still unmade and clothing piled over the desk and chair, but Anzu didn't seem to care. No sooner had he closed the door then she spun around to face him.

"Vivian Wong was in my room last night."

It was a good thing Yuugi was standing still, because he was pretty sure that information would have been enough to make him trip over his own two feet if he'd been moving. "_What_?" he said, his voice high-pitched and shocked. "You - what?"

"Last night," Anzu said, visibly strained, "when I got home, there a woman waiting in my bedroom for me. She said her name was Vivian Wong, and that she knew why I was over here visiting you."

"Oh my god," Yuugi said. Suddenly, he didn't feel safe at all. He was very conscious of the windows in his room, the fact that the skylight might let in more than just sunshine. It was not a good feeling. This was his childhood home, the one place where he'd_ always_ been safe. He shifted uneasily. "What else did she say to you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. She didn't threaten me." There was an unspoken "much" hanging in the air that Yuugi was really not comfortable with. "She told me that that guy on the show came to Japan to see you, and she was really mad about it. She kept saying that she'd made a mistake and he wouldn't give her a second chance."

"So basically she tried to draw a parallel between your situation and hers," Yuugi summed up. It was intelligent, really. It would have worked, too, except for one thing: Anzu wasn't stupid. There was no way she was going to blithely trust someone who had broken into her house, no matter what they were spouting. She'd been around for Duellist Kingdom, too. She knew what people could be like.

"Pretty much." Anzu nodded. Now that they were in Yuugi's bedroom, she seemed a little more relaxed. She sat down on the bed and laced her fingers together.

"What did she want?"

"She wants me to put the moves on you." A faint smile tugged at Anzu's lips. "I'm supposed to be seducing you right now."

Yuugi glanced at her. "You're not doing a very good job," he said teasingly, pleased when she grinned. "God, I can't believe her. Does she really think that's going to work? Atemu is never going to take her back. It doesn't matter whether I'm in the picture or not." He shook his head in wonderment. Vivian had the most one track mind of anyone that he had ever met. It was either amazing or terrifying, he wasn't really sure which.

"I thought his name was Yami."

Those few words stopped Yuugi in his tracks, draining the remainder of his anger before it really had the chance to flourish. He turned and looked at Anzu, unsettled by the way that she was staring at him. He didn't know how much Vivian had told her, he realized. "Anzu, I -"

"I guess that show was even better for than you I thought," she plowed on, ignoring him, "if you ended up falling in love with the prince of Egypt."

Okay, clearly Vivian had been a little more forthcoming than Yuugi would have wanted her to be. Anzu was looking at him like she was trying to figure out if she'd been told the truth, and he knew that he could have lied to her. It would have been easy. She would believe him over the crazy woman who had broken into her house. But he realized that he didn't want to do that. In spite of everything that had happened, Anzu was still his friend. She deserved to know what she had been pulled into.

"It's not what I was expecting," he said finally, and her jaw visibly dropped. He smiled wanly and sat down on the bed beside her. "I didn't know who he was at first. He came on the show to try to find someone who would like him for him, not because he was the prince. But what he didn't know was that Vivian Wong, his old girlfriend, wasn't really prepared to give him up just yet."

"So what she told me was true, then. They were dating," Anzu said.

"She cheated on him," Yuugi replied flatly. "And then she lost her goddamn mind."

Anzu sucked in a sharp breath and sat up straight. "Yuugi..."

"It's the truth!" He had no interest in telling Anzu about what had happened to him in Egypt. That was private, the details of which would remain between the eight of them, but... "Atemu does not want to be with Vivian, Anzu-chan. She would make a horrible queen, for one thing. And he just doesn't love her anymore. You can tell as soon as you hear the way he talks about her, he _hates_ her. His father banned her from Egypt for god's sake. She's... she doesn't deserve to be with Atemu. She's not good enough for him. She just can't take a hint, that's all."

"Apparently she's not the only one," Anzu muttered, the comment barely audible. Yuugi glanced at her curiously, but she gave a wave of her hand. "Never mind. Look, Yuugi, I'm glad that I came to talk to you if that's how it is. But what are you going to do about her? She's obviously not prepared to give up."

"I don't know." Yuugi rubbed at his forehead, where he could feel a headache beginning to build. Frankly the thought of Vivian being anywhere near him or Atemu was enough to make him feel sick, nausea teasing around his throat and sending shivers through his body. "I... guess I'll call Atemu."

"I think you should do that. Why don't you, and I'll go downstairs and make us some tea?" Anzu stood up, but she didn't leave the room right away. She hesitated by the door, though she didn't turn around to look at him. "Yuugi?"

"Yeah?"

"What I said before... about the two of us maybe getting back together... I want you to forget about it."

Yuugi stared at her. "Anzu-chan?"

"I made a mistake." Anzu still wouldn't look at him. "I... It was harder than I thought it would be, being in America. But that doesn't mean it's okay for me to come back here and try to make things be the way they used to. You've moved on, and I'm glad about that." She ducked her head. "I don't want this to make things weird between us, Yuugi. I still want to be your friend. I hope you can be okay with that."

Before Yuugi could even start to think of a response to that, Anzu was gone and he had only the sound of her footsteps on the stairs as proof that she had even been there. For a couple of minutes, he just sat there and stared at the door, speechless. Okay, when Anzu had showed up at his house that had been the very last thing that he'd been expecting her to say. Sure, it got him out of trying to make the same 'we should just be friends' speech but it was actually kind of a blow to the pride when he thought about it: he'd essentially just been dumped by the same girl in less than two years. That had to be some kind of a record.

"This week could not get any weirder," he muttered. He and Anzu would need to talk, definitely. He wanted to find out exactly what had caused her sudden change in attitude, and he wanted her to know where he stood on the whole idea just so she never brought it up again. And he didn't want her going back to America unless she was certain that was what she really wanted. But all of that could wait. He was too aware of the fact that Vivian could come in at any moment. He dialed a by now familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Atemu." Yuugi closed his eyes briefly, feeling far more comforted by the sound of that one word than he would have been willing to admit.

"Yuugi! I was just about to call you." Atemu sounded surprised and pleased.

"I guess I beat you to it," Yuugi said. He paused for a moment and just listened. He could hear voices in the background. His eyebrows furrowed and then drew together into a thin line. "Are you with Malik?"

"Yeah, I am. Actually, I'm at Malik's and Isis's apartment watching her cook breakfast. I came over here last night after you dropped me off at my hotel. I had to. Yuugi, I - last night when I came out of the shower, Vivian was waiting for me in my room."

Yuugi had been expecting - dreading - something like that as soon as he heard that Atemu was with Malik. Because there was really no other reason: although the two of them were friends they were not close. "What did she do to you?" he asked, caught between a strange sense of resignation and fury. Of course Vivian would have gone after Atemu first. Of _course_.

"Nothing, except made me feel really stupid for not having realized that there was a possibility she might do that," Atemu replied wryly. "I called Seto, and he and the others are taking the first flight here from Egypt that they could get. They should be here sometime this afternoon. I was going to call you - I don't think you should be alone right now, Yuugi. There's no telling what Vivian's next move might be. I thought - you would be safer here." _With me_, was implied.

"I'm not alone, but I think that's a good idea," Yuugi said quietly. He didn't know how he would have reacted if Anzu had decided to go through with Vivian's plan. He liked to think he wouldn't have been seduced so easily, especially not after he'd made up his mind, but he didn't know for sure. "We'll be right over."

"We?"

"You'll see," Yuugi said, glancing up as Anzu walked back in. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, but she was trying to pretend she wasn't listening. He wasn't leaving her here for Vivian after she realized Anzu had betrayed her. At the very least, she could give them some insight into what Vivian was planning. He turned back to the phone. "Give us twenty minutes."

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Please review!


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N:** Glad to see I shocked y'all. Enjoy!

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Malik and Isis shared an apartment downtown. It wasn't in the best of neighbourhoods, but it was what Isis could afford on the money she earned from the museum and it was a two bedroom which meant that both of them got to have their own space. Yuugi had been there several times before, had practically lived there for a while when he was fifteen and Malik's place became the "cool spot" to hang out, so he just opened the door and walked right in without bothering to knock. Anzu hesitated briefly before she followed, her expression making it clear that she wasn't nearly as confident as Yuugi that she would be greeted with anything even close to politeness. Yuugi just gave her a reassuring smile and kicked his shoes off.

"Don't worry," he told her quietly. "It's fine. Isis is like my big sister, too. She won't care." She'd made it clear several times in the past that Yuugi, Ryou and Jou were welcome to stay at the apartment any time they liked. Isis, despite how smothering she could be, was sweet like that. He walked into the kitchen with Anzu right behind him.

Atemu spotted them first. He was sitting at the table with only a half empty mug of coffee for company. "Yuugi!" he said happily, his eyes lighting up. Yuugi smiled at him, but he didn't really get the chance to enjoy Atemu's reaction. All too quickly, Atemu's eyes darted past him to Anzu and went wide. Then he paled, so quickly that it was probably a good thing he was sitting down already because otherwise he might have fallen. For a moment Yuugi was confused about his reaction, but then he heard Anzu gasp softly behind him.

"I thought it might be you when Yuugi said your name!" she exclaimed. "Your highness, it's nice to see you again."

"Wait, you know each other?" Yuugi said, bewildered.

The panic had faded from Atemu's face, and now he just looked a little uncomfortable. "I did mention to you once that I had met Otogi Ryuuji and his partner," he said.

Yuugi felt like slapping himself in the forehead. Of _course_. Atemu had mentioned that on the day that Yuugi had first told him about Anzu and what she'd done, the day they were supposed to have gone rock climbing, but with everything that had happened since the information had completely slipped his mind. And then Anzu had gone back to America, so he hadn't really bothered to talk to Atemu about her since he'd come home from Egypt. Otherwise he might have remembered quickly enough to avoid a meeting that was beginning to feel awkward.

He cleared his throat. "I... well, um, I guess introductions aren't really necessary then. But Atemu, this is Anzu. And Anzu, this is Atemu."

"Like I said, it is good to see you again," Anzu said quietly, uncharacteristically solemn.

"Likewise," Atemu said with a faint smile, just as Malik walked into the room. He paused and looked around at the three of them, his eyebrows climbing.

"Yuugi," he said, a puzzled frown tugging at his mouth. "And... Anzu?"

His timing was so excellent that Yuugi had to hold himself back from running over and hugging him. "Malik!" he said, so gratefully that Malik's eyebrows joined his hairline. "I was wondering where you were. I suppose you heard that Vivian has made another appearance."

Just as Yuugi had hoped, the mention of Vivian made Atemu and Malik forget all about Anzu. "Yeah, I did," Malik said, scowling. "So much for hoping that the stupid bitch had learned her lesson the first time around. Man, I knew you said she was obsessed with you, Atemu, but I had no idea that it was this bad. Makes me glad I don't date women."

"Not _every_ woman is like that," Isis said, giving her brother a light slap on the back of the head as she walked past him towards the stove. "You should know that some people in the world are just crazy, and that it has nothing to do with gender. After all," and she levered a smirk at her brother, "you're one of them."

"Hey!" Malik protested, opening his eyes wide in exaggerated hurt. "That wounds me deeply, Nee-san."

"I'm told the truth hurts," Isis said wryly. "Now all of you sit down. I'm going to cook breakfast, and you're all eating. I don't want to hear otherwise," she added when Atemu opened his mouth. "Breakfast is important, and your friends won't be arriving until later this afternoon. There's no reason why you can't sacrifice half an hour and eat something healthy before you have to go pick them up."

"Okay," Atemu said, surprisingly meek, and Yuugi had to bite his lip to hide his grin as he and Anzu sat down beside Atemu. He could have kissed Isis as Malik joined them. She had successfully diverted the attention from the awkward meeting, and the tension that had been building had dissipated. Isis glanced over at him and, like she knew what was going through his mind, winked.

"Now what's this I hear about some crazy woman trying to snatch Atemu away?" she said, opening up a carton of eggs.

"Last night, when I got back to the hotel Vivian was there," Atemu said. It likely wasn't the first time he'd told the story to Isis and Malik, but Isis nodded anyway. "Vivian is... exceptionally dangerous. Every time I'm sure that I've seen just how far she'll go, she surprises me all over again. And it makes me nervous. I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering what will happen as soon as I step outside of Egypt's borders. My father has made it clear that she's not allowed there, and I believe out of fear of causing an international incident she'll stay away, but..." He looked at Yuugi, and what he wasn't saying became clear. Yuugi flushed as their eyes met, and the silence lingered.

"She must have left your hotel and come straight to my house," Anzu volunteered after a minute or so had passed. The sound of her voice broke the connection, and Yuugi looked away hastily. "She was there when I got home. She was waiting for me."

"Well that's creepy," Malik said. "I might not go to sleep tonight."

"You'll be fine. Mariku will be there," Yuugi said without thinking. He felt a little bad, but it was totally worth it to watch the way Malik sputtered and actually turned pink. Even Isis looked amused.

"It_ was_ creepy," Anzu said, looking like she was trying not to grin. "She, um, said all this stuff about how she'd made a mistake and Atemu wouldn't give her another chance. She said she knew why I was back in Japan, and that she wanted me to go see Yuugi this morning and seduce him to get him out of the way."

"I thought you were engaged?" Malik frowned.

Anzu took a deep breath. "I am."

There was another awkward silence. Eventually, Atemu cleared his throat. "She didn't hurt you?"

"No." Anzu was relieved for the change of topic, and seized it gratefully. "I mean, I thought she might at first. But that's not really what she was there for. Like I said, she just wanted me to take care of Yuugi. It sounds like she thinks that you might be more receptive to taking her back if you don't have Yuugi."

Atemu closed his eyes. "Let me assure you, that is not the case."

"I, um, figured as much. Anyway, I didn't really know what else to do but agree to help her. I don't think she would have let me go if I'd said no." Anzu shrugged, looking down at her hands. "That's when she said that she wanted me to take Yuugi out of the running, and that it meant her way to you," she nodded at Atemu, "would be open. I'm not sure exactly what she's planning, sorry. But she made it sound like she was planning to talk to you again. She said that she would call me on my phone tonight to discuss things in more detail, and then she left. I didn't know what to do, but I figured that talking to Yuugi would be the logical first step. So this morning I got up and went right over so that she'd think I was going along with her plan -"

"But instead, she explained to me what Vivian had done," Yuugi finished. He would be eternally grateful that Anzu had had the foresight to think before falling in line with Vivian's insane scheme. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't have fallen for Anzu's attempt at a seduction, but it probably would have destroyed their friendship either way. "That's when you called and invited us over."

Malik whistled softly. "Man, you have to admit that Vivian's got guts," he said, reluctantly impressed. "I mean, I know that Seto said she was determined but I had no idea she would go to this length. If this is the kind of loyalty you inspire in Egypt, Atemu, I'm starting to think that the rest of the world might be in trouble."

Atemu shot him a look. "As far as I know, Vivian is my only stalker."

"She better be," Yuugi muttered.

Isis walked over to the table, carrying some plates. She'd cooked up some pancakes, which she handed out along with toast and juice. "It sounds to me like your wisest choice of action will be waiting until Vivian makes contact with you again," she said, taking the seat between Malik and Yuugi. She glanced at Anzu. "You can't do anything until you have more insight into what she's planning. When she does call, you can try to draw her out and get as much detail as possible. Maybe you can stop her before she does anything to hurt someone."

"Maybe," Atemu said quietly, and Yuugi did not have to look at him to know what Atemu was thinking. Vivian was just too dangerous. She had already proven that a warning was not going to be enough to keep her away. Even getting the authorities involved, always a murky area considering that Atemu was royalty and Vivian's family had money and prestige, was not going to do it. She had too many contacts, was too good at bending people to her whim. This time there was a good chance that Vivian might have to be silenced permanently.

Underneath the table, out of view of everyone else, he reached out and gave Atemu's hand a squeeze.

**YY**

Waiting was not Jou's strong point. He stared out the window of the plane as it flew through the night, watching as the clouds drifted around them. At one time a plane ride would have been a novel and exciting experience, but now he felt too tired and worried to feel any joy. He couldn't stop thinking about Atemu's phone call and what it might mean for his friends. In the air, there was no cell phone reception. Having their phones on meant there was a risk that the sensitive airline equipment might malfunction. They were essentially cut off from whatever might be happening in Japan. Vivian could have made her move already and they wouldn't even know for another - he checked his watch and bit back a groan - four hours.

He shifted again and looked around the silent plane. The lights were dimmed and the curtains drawn so that people could sleep if they wanted. Seto hadn't wanted to risk alerting the pharaoh to the fact that they were all leaving, so they were on a commercial flight. Ryou and Bakura were sitting just in front of Jou. He could tell that Ryou was sleeping, and he suspected that Bakura was dozing: it was unlikely Bakura would allow himself to fall asleep in a public place. Mariku was sitting beside Bakura. He wasn't asleep, either, but it wasn't because of safety. He'd been walking on air ever since he found out that he would be seeing Malik even sooner than they'd originally thought.

Seto was sitting beside Jou, and as expected he had his laptop open on his knee. Lack of access to the internet wouldn't stop Kaiba Seto. As far as Jou could tell, he was busy typing up drafts of e-mails and either setting them aside for later, or scheduling them to be sent once they landed and he did have access. It was probably the kind of work that was really important, but it was also really boring. Jou glanced at his lover's face, wondering if there was any chance that he would be able to get Seto to pay more attention to him, but he could tell that Seto was completely immersed in what he was doing. To distract him now would be cruel and, possibly, dangerous. With a sigh, he turned back to the window and rested his head against the cool glass.

Two minutes later, Seto snapped the top of his computer down and removed his glasses. "I hate travelling by commercial airlines," he remarked, leaning back in an effort to stretch his shoulders and back. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb.

Jou turned his head and blinked at him, a little surprised. "We'll be there soon?" he offered uncertainly. He definitely knew how Seto was feeling in relation to being cramped. Neither one of them were short men, and there wasn't much free space. His own legs were beginning to tingle with the sort of ache that came from sitting too long in an uncomfortable position.

"Not soon enough," Seto replied, tipping his head back.

It was rare to see Seto acting even a little bit... well, human. For all that Jou had learned about his lover over the past few months, he never got tired of seeing Seto's softer side. He showed it so rarely, and only around those he truly cared for. Jou smiled, realizing that it was a little bit of a privilege to be hearing Seto complain at all, and reached out to slide his hand around the back of Seto's neck. Gently, using just the pads of his fingers, he started to massage the tensed muscles. It only took a minute for Seto to relax into the grip, and within about five minutes he was boneless, head lolling against his chest.

"I used to do this for Shizuka when she was younger," Jou told him quietly, because he liked sharing things that Seto did not know. It usually prompted Seto to do the same, and Jou enjoyed learning about him. "Back before she had her surgery, she used to suffer from awful headaches. I think it was partly her condition and partly from the way she had to strain to see. She'd end up with all this tension in her neck and shoulders. If I gave her a massage before she went to bed, she slept a lot better."

"Mokuba used to have trouble sleeping by himself. For a long time, he wouldn't go to bed until I was there with him. It took me ages to figure out that he could sleep just fine without me. He just wanted to make sure that I went to bed at what he considered to be a reasonable time," Seto said.

"Cute," Jou said, hiding a grin. It definitely sounded like something Mokuba would resort to, and with good reason: Seto had apparently never grown out of staying up into all hours of the morning to get work done. He thought for a minute. "When I was a kid, I loved going to the beach. Shizuka and I would make sand castles. It was the last thing we did together before my mom took her away." He paused and then gave a little laugh that probably sounded a little more bitter than he wanted it to. "Ma always hated when we did that. She was convinced that I'd take my eyes off of Shizuka and let her wander into the ocean."

The amusement faded slowly from Seto's face, replaced with the sort of intensity that was enough to make Jou squirm. "You know that wasn't right of her?" he said, and even though it was a question it sounded more like a statement, like something that was set in stone. "You're not a bad influence on Shizuka, Jou. I saw the way you acted towards her. She thinks you hold the sun up."

Jou didn't say anything for a moment, but he couldn't look away from Seto. "Ma thinks I'm going to turn out to be just like my father." And he hadn't even discussed his parents with Seto before now, especially his father. He hadn't wanted to bring up those kinds of demons just yet - or, well, preferably ever if he could get away with it, because if he never saw his father again he would be just fine with that.

"You are your own person," Seto said softly, firmly, and he didn't even know what Jou's father was like but he sounded so _certain_. It was the best thing that he could have said. Jou was leaning over and kissing him before he even realized.

"We'll find a way to do something about Vivian before she gets to Atemu again," he said against Seto's mouth, still looking into those bright blue eyes. "I promise."

Seto smirked and kissed him again, lingering, before drawing back. "Of course we will," he drawled, flipping his laptop open again. Within seconds, he was totally absorbed in his work. Jou grinned and turned to look back out the window, realizing that suddenly the wait didn't seem to be quite as unbearable as before.

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Please review!


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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"I'm going to kill her," Bakura said.

Atemu fought the urge to drop his head into his hands and groan. It was difficult to believe that, barely an hour ago, he'd been fighting the urge to squirm with impatience as he watched the plane holding his friends land. It had taken forever before the crowds finally parted and allowed Seto, Jou, Bakura, Ryou, and Mariku through. Years of training had prevented Atemu from doing anything more than stepping forward and gripping each of them by the hand in welcome, but Yuugi and Malik hadn't been nearly so restrained. Yuugi had hugged every one of them, even Bakura and Seto, while Malik threw himself into Mariku's arms and clung to the man like he was going to change his mind and run away. It had been kind of adorable.

The conversation had remained light and idle as they waited for the luggage to come through, and Atemu had been keenly aware of Seto's penetrating gaze on his back as he joked around with Ryou. As always, it felt like Seto had the ability to see a lot more than Atemu wanted him to. It had been like that between them for as long as Atemu could remember, and he doubted that it was going to change anytime soon. Fortunately, it was so crowded at the airport that Seto didn't have the opportunity to question him. And after only a few minutes of being in the company of his friends, Atemu realized that he was already beginning to feel more grounded. He no longer had the sensation of wanting to jump out of his skin.

That lasted right up until they had returned to the Ishtar's apartment, and Malik - who had yet to let go of Mariku - closed the door and locked it. Bakura didn't even wait for the rest of them to sit down before he spoke. He just walked right into the living room, plunked himself down on the sofa, and said it so calmly that you would have thought he was actually saying he'd like a cup of tea before they ate. Atemu looked at him warily, knowing that this was no joking matter. Bakura was perfectly serious. As far as the ex-thief was concerned, Vivian Wong was a walking dead woman. And as soon as she got close enough to Bakura and Mariku, she was just going to be dead.

"I'm going to," Bakura repeated when no one else spoke. He glanced around the room and folded his arms, his eyes finally falling on Ryou. "You said. You wouldn't stop me this time, right?"

Ryou sighed and put his hands over his eyes for a moment, like he couldn't believe that this was his life. Then he dropped his hands to his sides. "Yes, I did say that," he admitted reluctantly. "But Bakura, I don't know. What if you get caught?"

"Please," Mariku said, sounding insulted at the idea. "Bakura and I have spent years perfecting our craft."

"And here I thought you were just bodyguards," Jou muttered.

"_Proactive_ bodyguards," Mariku corrected, smirking. "There's a difference."

"They wouldn't get caught," Seto said, forestalling any responses that might have been made to that. "Bakura and Mariku are both practiced at what they do. They don't regularly assassinate people, but there have been times in the past when they've been called upon to protect Atemu in ways that might seem to be unethical." He finally sat down in one of the chairs, and Jou moved to perch on the arm. "If it turns out that this is the only way to deal with Vivian, I have to know right now if anyone in this room has a problem with it."

Atemu tried, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing over at Yuugi. Out of everyone, he thought that Yuugi might be the only one to protest. He knew that Ryou and Malik had been told a lot about Bakura's and Mariku's pasts, so it was unlikely that they would be surprised by this information. Jou was the sort of man who would kill to protect his friends if necessary. But Yuugi... Yuugi always tried to see the best in everyone. He believed that everyone deserved a second chance, even the woman who had dumped and possibly cheated on him. Would that extend to a woman who had kidnapped him? He honestly did not know.

Yuugi caught him watching. Of course he did. He looked steadily back at Atemu as he said, "I'm not happy about it. I've always been of the opinion that violence doesn't solve anything. And if you could find a way to make Vivian stop without hurting her or - or doing anything worse, then I would appreciate that. But more than anything I don't want her to hurt you, and if that's what it takes..." He trailed off.

"Yuugi..." Atemu realized that he couldn't think of anything to say. There were no words to express how Yuugi's words made him feel; it was a bewildering storm of gratitude and relief and shock and sadness.

Seto nodded. "I understand how you feel, Yuugi, and let me reassure you that doing anything physical to Vivian is definitely our last resort. Right now I'm in the middle of talking to some people to see if there is anything else we can do."

A slight smile crossed Yuugi's face. "I appreciate that, Seto. Thank you."

"So then we're just going to sit around and wait?" Bakura said, not sounding happy about the prospect.

"Why don't we go out and see the city?" Ryou suggested, patting his boyfriend on the arm. "You've never been to Domino before."

Bakura looked like he would have rather jumped out the window, but Ryou did not give him the chance to say no. He stood up and tugged Bakura to his feet, pulling the unwilling man out the door. Malik and Mariku followed. Yuugi and Jou got up and went into the kitchen, and Atemu suspected that they would be in there for quite a while catching up. In a matter of seconds, he found himself alone with his cousin. Seto was looking at him with that same knowing glint in his eyes.

"Don't even bother," he said when Atemu started to stand up. "I know you, cousin, and we're going to be having this chat sooner or later so you might as well give in."

"Someone might think you were the prince," Atemu muttered, reluctantly sinking back down onto the chair.

"I have more than enough to do without worry about that," Seto said, rolling his eyes. "Believe me, you're welcome to it. Now, tell me how things have been going since you got here." He leaned forward, staring at Atemu intently. "I need to know if we're going to make this right."

Atemu sighed, but when faced with a statement like that there was only one thing to do. He told his cousin everything that had happened since he'd landed in Japan, from his first meeting with Yuugi to the hotel to the arrival of Yuugi and Anzu the next morning. "Anzu-san went home after that," he concluded, gazing down at his lap. "She said that as soon as she made contact with Vivian, she would let us know."

"And you just let her go?" Seto raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't really want her here," Atemu admitted, feeling a little guilty. It was probably dangerous for Anzu to be out there on her own. They had no way of knowing whether Vivian would know that Anzu had betrayed her. If she did realize, there was a possibility she might try to attack Anzu. But the memory of seeing Yuugi and Anzu walk in together had stuck with him. There had been a familiarity between the two of them that got on his nerves, regardless of whether Anzu hadn't gone through with the seduction.

"Atemu." Seto closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked like he had a headache. "I realize that you and this girl might end up competing for Yuugi's attention, but you can't let that get in the way of your judgement. She's a target now."

"I know. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Atemu chewed on his lip. Jealousy and pride had always been two things that he did not deal with. Both emotions had gotten control over him before. He knew he'd never forgive himself if a bit of petty spite meant that Anzu ended up hurt - or worse. "You could send Bakura and Mariku to pick her up," he suggested after a moment. "I think she went to school with Ryou and Malik. She would be safe with the four of them."

"I'll do that. But you have to give me your word that you're going to act more professional than this." Seto pulled out his cell phone. "Yuugi does not belong to you. He's not one of your possessions. You don't get to dictate who he spends his time with."

It was on the tip of Atemu's tongue to snap at his cousin that he was not a child, but he swallowed the words. He knew he deserved the gentle scolding. He watched as Seto paced to the other side of the room, speaking quietly into the phone, and picked up the laptop. It only took a second for the computer to come to life. Atemu keyed in the override password, which only he knew. Seto had given it to him when they were young, just in case there was ever information Atemu would need to know and Seto wasn't around to let him in.

The screen burst into a riot of color and information. Several e-mails had been recently sent out. Atemu glanced through each one, realizing that most of them had been sent to lawyers. One or two had also been directed to Vivian's family. It seemed that Seto was trying to get into contact with them to see if they were interested in imposing a stricter measure of control on Vivian. He didn't think they'd have much luck with that avenue: he'd met Vivian's parents. Neither of them would ever win parent of the year.

"Are you worried?" he asked without glancing up as Seto came to stand beside him, phone call finished. "About what we might have to do, I mean."

"As far as I see, this is no different from any other time when we needed to protect you," Seto said quietly. "I never enjoy this part of the job, Atemu, but I knew what it entailed from the beginning. No one would know that better than me. And if it's to keep you safe, then I'll do whatever it takes."

Atemu gazed up at him, speechless. He had never questioned the depth of Seto's loyalty to him, knowing that his cousin would never betray him, but he'd never heard Seto say it out loud either. He had a true, powerful ally in his cousin, and he had never been more aware of that fact. "Thank you," he said finally, knowing that it was the only response that he could give.

A rare, true smile lit Seto's face, and he gently eased the laptop out from under Atemu's hands. "I have it set so that my phone will alert me when someone responds," he said. "There's no need to monitor it continuously, Atemu."

"I just wish I could be doing something," Atemu said, flexing his fingers into loose fists.

"Well, there are four of us too. There's safety in numbers. We don't have to stay here," said Seto. "I doubt that Vivian is going to try to do anything right now, especially when she sees that you're not alone anymore. Why don't we get Yuugi and Jou and go out and do something?"

"Like what?"

Seto shrugged. "I've been thinking about expanding Kaiba Corp," he said mysteriously. "I did some research on the plane, and I think there are a few pieces of land around here that would work. We could go check them out."

"What would you need a piece of land for?" Atemu asked, bewildered. Seto had expanded the company before, of course, but he usually began by purchasing a building that was already in place. If necessary, and it usually was, he would tear it down and re-build from scratch. He also knew that his cousin had recently opened a new factory in Tokyo, so it surprised him that Seto would be looking to open up in Domino as well. He narrowed his eyes. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

Blue eyes laughed at him as Seto walked into the kitchen without bothering to answer. Huffing, Atemu got up and chased after his cousin. Jou was standing beside the refrigerator, eating his way through what looked like an enormous sandwich. It was so big he practically had to crack his jaw to bite into it, and he could only mumble a garbled hello to Seto when the man moved to stand beside him. Yuugi was sitting on the counter opposite them, watching his friend with an expression of fond amusement.

"Did you not feed him the whole time he was in Egypt?" he asked, grinning at Atemu.

"I have it on good authority that he ate well, considering that the chefs used to complain on a daily basis," Atemu replied. It wasn't a lie, either. He'd finally had to give the entire kitchen staff a raise and his permission for them to order more food. Jou was not a particularly large man, but he consumed a lot of calories.

Jou scoffed and finally finished chewing and swallowing his large mouthful. "It's just not the same," he explained to Yuugi.

"I guess not." Yuugi shook his head, but he was still smiling. "I was going to suggest that we go to Burger World and get something to eat, but obviously you won't be hungry -"

In three huge bites, Jou managed to finish the rest of the sandwich. He chewed furiously while the three of them laughed, then turned and shoved his hands underneath the faucet. He scrubbed them briskly, dried them on the towel, and spun back to face Yuugi. "I'm starving! I haven't eaten in hours."

"I'll text Bakura and tell them to meet us there," said Atemu. He wondered if he should warn Yuugi that Anzu would probably be with them, and glanced over at Seto. It was one of those rare times when the ability to communicate silently with his cousin came in handy. With an understanding nod, Seto placed a hand against Jou's back and ushered him out of the room. Yuugi watched them go with a faint frown before he turned a questioning look on Atemu.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No. I just wanted to give you fair warning that Anzu-san will be meeting us at Burger World." Seeing the surprise filling Yuugi's face, Atemu lifted a hand. "Seto has pointed out that it's necessary, Yuugi. In fact, I should have insisted that she stay here from the beginning. As far as we know Vivian thinks that she's been following the rules, but you know how unstable she can be. There's no saying when she might decide to turn on Anzu-san. It's safer for her to be with company."

"But won't Vivian realize that Anzu isn't going along with her plan if she sees you two together?"

"Not if I keep my distance from you." Just the thought of doing so pained Atemu. He hadn't crossed half the world to stay away from Yuugi. He was supposed to be trying to get Yuugi to be with him again! But he also knew that he couldn't be selfish about this anymore, not if it meant that Anzu might get hurt.

Yuugi stared at him for a moment, and then his violet eyes went soft. He hopped off of the counter, landing silently on socked feet, and padded across the floor to Atemu. "You should know," he said quietly, "that right before you showed up, Anzu asked me if I wanted to get back together with her. She said that she thought she'd made a mistake in breaking up with me to be with Otogi. She doesn't even know if she wants to go back to America anymore."

The apartment had been warm before, but now it suddenly felt cold. This was exactly what Atemu had been worried about. He knew exactly how much Yuugi cared about Anzu, and how deeply he'd been hurt by Anzu's decision to end their relationship. In spite of how Yuugi had tried to maintain a carefree attitude about the whole situation, it was all there in the things that he had not said. He met Yuugi's gaze and swallowed, wondering if he dared to ask. He didn't even know if it was his place to ask.

As the silence stretched on, Yuugi sighed and ducked his head. "I said I would think about it. And then you showed up. I really didn't know what to do then."

"Yuugi, if you want me to go back -"

A finger pressed against his lips stopped Atemu from completing his sentence. Yuugi said, "Sorry, but I don't even need you to finish saying that. I already know the answer is a resounding no. Even before I knew about Vivian, I decided that I was going to say no to Anzu. Maybe if I hadn't met you, I might have said yes to her. But that would have been wrong. I don't know what's going to happen between us, but I know that Anzu isn't right for me."

Atemu could hardly breathe through his relief. He knew that it was a long shot, but he had to ask this time: "Yuugi, may I kiss you?"

Yuugi's smile was shy. "Yes."

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Please review!


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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It was no less awkward the second time around when Bakura, Ryou, Mariku, Malik and Anzu walked into _Burger World_, but at least this time Yuugi was ready for it. He even managed a smile as their friends joined the rest of them at the table, and didn't even mind too much when Anzu was the one who slid in next to him, leaving her sitting on the outside of the booth. Atemu was sitting on the other side of the table and down near the opposite end, so that he and Yuugi were separated by almost everyone else. They couldn't touch under the table even if they had wanted to. But even that was okay.

Because not an hour ago, Yuugi had been _kissing_ Atemu. He hadn't intended to tell Atemu about what was going on between him and Anzu, or at least he hadn't wanted to do it so soon. But Atemu had looked so forlorn in the kitchen that Yuugi couldn't resist. For all of the man's confidence, in spite of the fact that he was a prince, Yuugi had noticed that there were times when Atemu could be surprisingly insecure. And there was just no way that Yuugi could let him walk around thinking something might happen between him and Anzu when Atemu had agreed to let her hang around without argument.

He licked his lips, remembering the feel of Atemu's mouth against his. It had been a long time since the two of them had kissed, and Yuugi was not surprised to realize that he had missed it desperately. Atemu's kisses inspired a sweet, tingly feeling in the pit of his stomach that left him warm even hours later. The kiss that was supposed to be short had grown deep quickly, and one had turned into many; it was only the sound of Seto calling them from the living room that had gotten them to separate - and even though Yuugi had known they had to leave, he'd found himself wishing that Seto and Jou had just gone ahead without them.

He'd wondered, sometimes, what it would be like to kiss Atemu again. Okay, he'd wondered a lot. It was a relief to find that nothing had changed between them. The passion was still there, fizzing pleasantly beneath his skin, and he would have liked nothing more than to have found a bedroom so that he and Atemu could explore further. Of course, that wouldn't be happening for a while. First they had to work things out with Vivian, and then he had to work things out with Anzu, and then he and Atemu had to work things out. Yuugi sighed, frustrated, and stabbed idly at one of his fries. It was beginning to seem like the whole universe was conspiring to keep him and Atemu apart just when they were finally getting to a spot where they might be able to get together, and he didn't like it.

"Yuugi, stop playing with your food," Anzu said suddenly. "Or maybe I should say, your fries haven't done anything to you so stop torturing them."

He blinked and looked over at her. She had her own food now - apparently she'd been up to the counter and back again while he was lost in thought - and she was in the middle of eating a hamburger. That was one of the things he'd always liked about Anzu. Even though she was a dancer, and that meant she had to be very careful about watching her weight, she had always been willing to sit down and have a treat with him. He gave her a sheepish smile and eased up on his poor fries.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about Vivian."

Anzu smirked and took a sip of her drink. "And here I thought you weren't a big fan of violence," she teased gently, glancing at his fries. They didn't actually look like fries anymore, more like small, unappetizing bits of squished mashed potato strewn across a greasy wrapper. "If that's what you'd like to do to Vivian, I'm actually beginning to pity the woman."

"Don't," Yuugi said flatly, wiping his hands on a napkin. "She doesn't deserve your pity."

Blue eyes widened slightly. "Yuugi..." Anzu said softly, stunned. She had never heard Yuugi talk that way about anyone before, not even Pegasus. Out of all of them, Yuugi had always been the most inclined to feel sorry for the old man. Her level of curiosity surrounding the whole situation rose instantly, though she tried to push it back down. "Are you... okay?"

"I'm fine, Anzu. Really. I know it might not seem that way, but I am. It's just..." Yuugi trailed off and sighed, glancing over at the rest of his friends. Everyone seemed to be occupied. Even Jou, who was sitting right beside him, was busy working his way through a second cheeseburger. He looked back to Anzu. "Believe me when I say that Vivian is really _not_ a good person. She's done some things that even I can't forgive her for. I can't tell you what, but..." He paused again, frustrated. He still couldn't talk about what had happened very easily, and his throat closed up when he even thought about trying to tell Anzu.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Anzu said, but she was worried. "I believe you, Yuugi. Even from what I saw, I know Vivian isn't a good person. I'm just... I'm sorry that I got you to go on that show in the first place. If I hadn't, you wouldn't be in this mess."

"No, I wouldn't. But I'm not sorry I did," Yuugi said, and that was the truth. He watched the surprised look spread across Anzu's face and elaborated. "It was hard for me in a lot of ways. There are definitely things I wish had gone differently. But I think going on that show was good for me. You were right, it pushed me out of my comfort zone. And" he knew he was blushing "it might have helped me find love after all."

"Really?" Anzu's mouth dropped open, and she looked past him towards Atemu. It took her a moment to gather herself together to the point where she could speak. "Oh my god, Yuugi, _really_?"

Yuugi blushed even harder, but he nodded. "I-I think so. There are some things that Atemu and I have to talk about before anything could happen. But having him around made me realize how much I missed him, and how much I really do want to be with him." He paused for a moment, then added quietly, "I'm sorry. I know you said in my bedroom that you had changed your mind, but I can't help feeling like you were still hoping for something different."

Anzu dropped her gaze and sighed. "I won't deny it," she said with a small smile. "When I heard you talking on the phone to him, I - I've never heard you sound that way before. You were so happy and you were talking about a stalker! It made me realize that you've already moved on. I guess you could call it a last ditch effort to save face. I feel foolish for even having suggested it in the first place."

"You shouldn't," Yuugi said. He hadn't thought that they would end up talking about this here - he'd wanted to wait until they were somewhere more private - but it felt good to get it out there. "If you had said that a couple of months ago, I probably would have taken you up on it."

"I guess I was just too late," Anzu said sadly.

"Anzu..." He paused before taking a deep breath and letting out slowly. "If I had said yes to you, I don't know if that would have been the right thing. I... We want different things in life, and I can't help feeling that if you stayed here in Japan you would always wonder what might happen if you went back to America. I'm not saying that you definitely_ have _to go back, because I know how hard it can be to do something you're not really sure about. But I do think that you should keep your mind open. And I also think that you should talk to Otogi about what you're feeling. He was there with you. Maybe he feels the same way."

"I doubt it. You should have seen him, Yuugi. He was totally in his element." She shook her head and dipped her fry into some ketchup before popping it into her mouth.

"You don't know that," he said as gently as possible, feeling awkward. It was weird to give his ex-girlfriend relationship advice, but Anzu deserved to be happy. If Otogi was really the man who could do that for her, then he wanted Otogi to have a fair chance.

"I guess you're right." She didn't sound very convinced, though, and Yuugi could only hope that she really would talk to Otogi. Anzu had dreamed of being a dancer for so long that it didn't seem right for her to give up without really having given it a fair shot, especially when he privately thought that she was a lot more talented than she was giving herself credit for.

"I know I'm right," he replied, giving her a crooked smile as he reached for his drink. He took a long sip and added, "You really are a good dancer, Anzu. I think you could be right up there with the best if you would believe in yourself a little more."

It was her turn to flush. "How do you always know the right thing to say?"

"Habit, I think."

She smiled. "So does this mean you're moving to Egypt, then?"

"Oh. Um, I don't know." He supposed it was only fair for Anzu to ask for more details on his plans considering he'd just been poking into hers. "I've been putting a lot of thought into it. Jii-chan says that he would be okay with it. I think it would be hard on him, but we could make it work. I just... it's a really big move, you know? It's a long way to go for someone else."

"That's true," Anzu said. "But Yuugi, I think you guys are good together and I haven't even been around for that long. I'm going to tell you exactly what you just told me. I know you well enough to know that if you stayed here in Japan, you will always going to wonder what would have happened if you had gone to Egypt."

"I know," Yuugi said quietly. It was much easier to say those words than to have to be the one who was hearing them. "Like I said, I really am thinking about it. But it's complicated. Being with Atemu, or marrying him, that's a lot of responsibility."

"Queen Yuugi," Anzu mused with a tilt of her head. "I like it."

"Why does everyone go with Queen?" Yuugi started to complain, but he went silent when Anzu's phone started to vibrate. It was tucked into her pocket, and their thighs were close enough that Yuugi felt the movement. Her eyes widened, and they shared a long look before Anzu reached down and grabbed her phone. She tilted it up so that they could see the screen. The number was unknown.

"I'll be right back," Anzu said. Her face had gone an awful pale color, but she slipped out of the booth and stood up. She walked away so quickly that, when Yuugi looked around at everyone else, he realized that they hadn't even noticed her departure.

Well, there was no way Yuugi was letting her face this alone. He wiped his hands on his napkin and then got up. Atemu's head snapped around immediately, and Yuugi paused just long enough to shoot him a grimace before he followed Anzu. He knew that Atemu wouldn't follow them, just in case Vivian was around somewhere watching. Anzu had gone into the back of the restaurant where the bathrooms and the emergency exit was located. She already had her phone out and pressed against her ear.

"I told you that I would, and I did," she was saying. She nodded at Yuugi when he walked over, placing a finger over her lips. "Yes - yes, of course. It was just like you said, easy. Between me and that guy, there was no contest. We have _history_." She dropped her voice dramatically, and Yuugi might have laughed if he hadn't felt so tense. "No. No, his grandfather was in the other room. We couldn't - but..." She went silent and just listened for a couple of minutes, frowning.

Eventually, Yuugi nudged her arm and whispered, "Try to find out what she's planning." He didn't want to risk Vivian hanging up.

Anzu gave him a distracted nod and twisted away as a woman came out of the bathroom and headed back into the restaurant. She pressed her free hand over her ear and kept listening. "Right, but I'm not sure - he's not going to want to do that, Vivian, he barely knows me. Besides, the rest of his friends showed up - I don't know why, they're his friends, why wouldn't they? I could... I just took his boyfriend, I doubt he'll - okay! Okay, you don't have to yell. I heard you the first time. Alright, I'll do it. 7:30 tonight, we'll be there. Bye." She hung up, shaking her head.

"Not good?" Yuugi ventured.

"That's one way to put it," Anzu said with a sigh, locking her phone. "She was really pleased when I said that you and I had hooked up, but she wasn't too impressed that we didn't have sex." Her cheeks colored slightly, matching the blush Yuugi was sure was on his own face. "I told her that we couldn't because your grandfather was in the other room, and then she went into this super long lecture about how I should never let something so trivial get in the way of my plan. God, Yuugi, this woman really is nuts."

"Tell me about it," Yuugi said, rolling his eyes. Nothing Anzu was saying surprised him. It sounded exactly like Vivian. If their roles had been reserved she would have had him on the bed regardless of whether Sugoroku was in the same room, much less the same house. "What else did she say?"

"She wants me to get Atemu to the _Blue Door_ tonight," Anzu replied, naming the most expensive restaurant in Domino. "Apparently she's been researching restaurants, and she found out that you can book a private room there. She said that all I have to do is get him there. And when I said that I didn't think he'd want to go out to dinner with me considering that I supposedly seduced his boyfriend, and that everyone else had shown up, she got_ really_ mad. She told me to convince you that it would be really nice if the three of us went out to dinner alone so that we could get to know each other better, and that I'd better make it work somehow. Then she wants us to make Atemu so uncomfortable he wanders off, leaving her free to swoop in."

Vivian was truly out of her mind. If there had ever been any doubt in Yuugi's mind, it was now definitely gone. He couldn't imagine how that would ever work out. Didn't she have any idea of how awkward that would be? Or, more likely, she just didn't care. He reached out and squeezed Anzu's arm, noticing how pale she looked. She gave him a tiny, wan smile, and he immediately stepped closer and pulled her into a huge. She came willingly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Yuugi murmured into her shoulder, hating the fact that Anzu had been unfairly caught up in this. He could tell that, even though Anzu would never admit it, she was frightened of Vivian. And she had every right to be, really.

"It's okay. You don't have anything to apologize for. It's not your fault that your future husband has a stalker."

"Anzu!"

She giggled and pulled back, and Yuugi was relieved to see that the fear was gone from her face. "I guess we should go tell everyone else what Vivian said. She was adamant that we be there on time, and it's already after five. What do you think they'll say?"

Yuugi knew exactly what they were going to say, and he was right. The second Anzu had finished speaking, Bakura said, "I think -"

Ryou reached out and clapped a hand over his lover's mouth. "We all know what you think, Bakura," he said with an apologetic glance at Anzu. Fortunately, she just looked confused.

"Do you think we should even bother meeting her?" Jou asked, resting his chin on his hands. He was kicking Malik under the tables, though you'd have never known it from the innocent look on his face. "The last time Atemu talked to her at a restaurant, it didn't go very well. Maybe you guys shouldn't go."

"He won't be there alone," Yuugi pointed out.

"I'm going," Atemu said at the same time. "You're right, Jou. Last time she surprised me by bringing my father into it, but I really can't imagine what kind of stunt she could pull to top that. My guess is that she thinks I'll be so upset about Yuugi and Anzu that I'll just fall right into her arms." He paused, sneaking a quick glance at Yuugi before adding, "Though it's possible she's heard about the pressure my father is putting on me to marry, and she might try to bring that up."

"Should we be expecting her to show up in a wedding dress?" Malik asked, kicking Jou back.

There was a moment of silence during which everyone digested this, and Yuugi tried not to look too horrified. Or jealous. Because yeah, he had to admit that, while wearing a wedding dress did not appeal to him in the least, he didn't want anyone else to be anywhere near Atemu in one. "Bakura, if she shows up in a wedding dress, you've got my permission to take her out."

Bakura just smirked. "Done."

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Please review!


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N:** Oh, I think you'll enjoy this chapter. I know I did.

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Vivian was not wearing a wedding dress. But she was wearing a black gown that she must have been poured into, because it was so tight that there was very little left to the imagination. It gave everyone a generous view of her cleavage, and dipped so low in the back that - had Atemu actually been interested in looking - he might have been able to see the top of her ass. He kept his eyes staring straight ahead and tried to ignore the fact that nearly every man who walked by her was openly staring in her direction. He felt like pointing out that she could have had any one of them, so why was she so bent on having him? But he was supposed to be hiding from her, and at least that was easy enough. She was doing a spectacularly bad job of blending in.

"God, it's a good thing she's not one of the competitors Otogi and I had to dance against," Anzu said. Like Vivian, she was also dressed up. But her style was much classier. She was wearing a simple blue gown that brought out the cerulean color of her eyes and highlighted her slender dancer's build. "The judges would take one look at her and forget all about the fact that they're supposed to judge dancing."

Atemu couldn't help smirking. He relaxed a little as Vivian finally disappeared into the restaurant, which meant that he and Anzu could stop hiding around the corner. Neither of them had dared to arrive while she was haunting the exterior of the place, and it seemed to take forever before Vivian gave up and went inside. Now that she was gone, he wanted to hurry up. Yuugi was in there - not alone, as everyone else had been carefully stationed around the place in advance - but Vivian would think that he was. He hadn't forgotten the target of her last stunt, and Atemu could not be held responsible for his actions if she so much as touched Yuugi tonight. No matter how bad the press would be if there was footage of the prince of Egypt murdering someone.

"That's Vivian for you," he replied at last, taking one last quick glance around before he nodded at Anzu. They stepped around the corner together, hastening towards the entrance as fast as Anzu's thin silver sandals would let her. Atemu glanced over at her as they walked, noting that while she seemed to be nervous she was doing a good job at holding herself together. No one would have known that she was anything other than confident. He realized that he was actually pleased that she was the one who'd been pulled into this, because anyone else probably would have fallen apart already. "You're doing very well at holding yourself together," he told her as they reached the entrance.

Anzu flushed slightly, but she smiled. "Thanks," she said shyly as he stepped aside to allow her to walk in first.

It wasn't hard to spot Yuugi; he'd been given an excellent table right in the middle of the restaurant. Atemu glanced around covertly as they were shown to the table, but he didn't see any of their friends. That was both good and bad: on the one hand, it left him wondering whether or not they were really there. But on the other, it meant that if he couldn't see them Vivian wouldn't have been able to either. He pulled out Anzu's chair for her, and then sat down in the remaining one. Though he looked around for only a moment longer, it was long enough for Yuugi and Anzu to have scooted their chairs closer together when he turned back. They were gazing at each other, and their expressions were so sickeningly in love that it nearly made him feel ill.

"Hello," he said at last, breaking the silence, and Yuugi jumped.

"Oh," he said, flushing. He dragged his eyes away from Anzu slowly, but not before he reached out and lightly skimmed his fingers down her arm, ending at her hand. Anzu turned hers over and intertwined their fingers together in a movement that had clearly been practiced a thousand times. Yuugi fairly sparkled as he added, "Hi, Atemu. I didn't see you come in."

He scowled lightly to hide his amusement and the slight tinge of fear. The thing was, Yuugi and Anzu were really good at this. After all, they had a lot of practice at being a couple. If he hadn't known for sure that they were just acting this way for Vivian's benefit, he would have been worried. But he wasn't. Not at all. Really. "Have you been waiting long?" he asked, making sure to keep his tone just cordial enough.

"Oh, about fifteen minutes. I got here early."

"Yuugi's always on time," Anzu said with a hint of pride, giving him a beautiful smile. "It's one of the things I love most about you."

"You say the sweetest things," Yuugi murmured, and they might have got lost in each other's eyes all over again if it hadn't been for the waitress that politely cleared her throat. After checking to make sure that it wasn't Vivian in disguise, Atemu could have kissed her.

"Shall I take your drink orders?" the waitress asked.

"Just water for us," Yuugi said with a nod for him and Anzu. "Atemu?"

He hadn't been planning on drinking. It seemed to make more sense to go into this with all of his thoughts clear. But one more look at the way that Anzu was leaning into Yuugi made him realize that there was no way he was going to get through this dinner without at least a little alcohol. "A bottle of your finest white wine to share," he said.

"Oh, a lovely choice!" Anzu perked up and, fortunately, had to let go of Yuugi's hand so that she could open her menu. "I've never been here before, you know, and everything looks delicious."

It was harder than Atemu had anticipated to sit there and make polite small talk. It was the little things that bothered him the most: when a curl slipped free of Anzu's hair barrette to frame her face in a way that made Yuugi looked at her with so much admiration that some of it _had_ to be genuine. How Anzu rested her hand on Yuugi's knee with a proprietary air. The way Yuugi smiled indulgently when their food arrived and Anzu immediately stole one of his pieces of garlic bread, only to get her peppers in return. How adorable the two of them looked when Yuugi scooped some pasta up on his fork and fed it to her, wiping at the smear of sauce left behind on her lip with his thumb, only to lean over and give her a little kiss on the cheek.

The sound Atemu made was not planned, but it was genuinely pained. Anzu looked over at him as though startled that he was there, and her gaze dropped to his knife. He only realized that he was holding it so tightly that the leaf design on the handle had been imprinted into his palm when she recoiled slightly. With effort, he set the knife down and picked up his glass of wine instead. It was only his first, mostly untouched until now, but he drank deeply as Anzu politely excused herself to go to the ladies room.

Yuugi lifted another forkful of pasta to his mouth, but he paused before eating it. "Are you doing okay?" he asked in a low tone, the words obviously not meant for anyone else to hear. It was probably dangerous, but Atemu didn't care.

"I've been better," he said with a degree of honesty that he wasn't expecting. "I just - it's hard. To see you together." And Vivian, if she was close enough to hear, could take that however she wanted.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do to change how this all work out, Atemu. I never meant for any of this to happen. I hope you know that." Yuugi was watching him carefully. There was worry in his eyes, of course there was, because Yuugi's eyes really were the window to his soul.

Atemu couldn't think of anything to say in return, and that was a little distressing because as a prince he'd been brought up to wield words very carefully. Being speechless, especially in front of the media or anyone important, was dangerous. He swallowed hard and started to lower his gaze, but Yuugi shifted and then reached up to tug at the collar of his shirt. To anyone else, it would've looked like a casual move. But Atemu saw through it, saw the glint of gold around Yuugi's throat and the telling shape visible against the pull of his shirt for a split second, and_ knew_.

Yuugi was wearing a necklace around his throat, and on that necklace was the ring that Atemu had given him. The knowledge made him feel lightheaded with relief, and then a little foolish for having allowed himself to get so carried away by the deception. Of course, that was probably good thing considering that he was almost positive that Vivian was watching them from somewhere close by. He schooled his expression before he could let any emotion show, but the developing tension had faded away by the time Anzu returned. Now he tried to seem as though he was resigned to what was happening. It was still easier than it should have been.

He knew he needed to make this next part look good, and when Yuugi and Anzu leaned over to exchange another kiss, long and deeper this time, over a plate of chocolate mousse he decided he'd had enough. "I must get back to the hotel," he said abruptly, knowing that it would sound rude. He did not meet either of their faces as he added, "I'll be returning to Egypt soon."

"What will you do?" Yuugi asked. "I heard... your father is giving you a hard time about marriage."

"I don't know," Atemu said quietly, because he really didn't. "I suppose I will have to explain to him that sometimes things don't happen the way we want them to. And then hope that he understands." He stood up then, because the thoughtful look on Yuugi's face was making him nervous, and bid them both good-night. As he turned away from the table, their waitress approached and handed him a note. She disappeared before he could ask any questions, not that he really needed to. He already knew who it was from.

He unfolded the paper and glanced at the message. It was very short and to the point, containing only one word. Atemu made sure to drop it on the floor as he walked away, knowing that either Yuugi or Anzu would then pick it up and read it. He returned to the front and waited until the hostess was free before he stepped up to her. "Where would I find the Aqua room?"

"Right this way, sir," she replied, stepping out from behind her stand. She led him away from the public dining room. The second half of the restaurant was made up of a series of private rooms of various sizes, each named after a color of blue. The Aqua room was the last room in the line. The hostess gestured to the door and said, "Can I get you anything? Water, or something to drink?"

"I'm good. Thanks." He waited to go inside until she was gone, and only once he was sure that he was alone did he enter. The room was gorgeous, lit by candlelight and decorated in shades of grey, white and aqua, but he only had eyes for the woman standing in the middle. He tried to look surprised, and it really wasn't all that difficult: up close, Vivian was even more beautiful than his brief glimpse of her outside would have led him to believe. And from the way she was smiling at him, he never would have guessed at their shared history.

"Atemu," Vivian said softly, her eyes shining. "I'm so happy that you came back here to talk to me. I know that we've been having a rough time of it lately, and I just thought that maybe what we really needed was some privacy to work things out." She spread her arms to indicate the room.

"Vivian." Atemu closed his eyes briefly and sighed. He was past the point of being angry with her, and now he just felt tired. He couldn't understand why Vivian didn't_ get_ it. He'd tried sitting her down and explaining this, he'd tried getting someone else to intervene, he'd tried getting mad, he'd tried threatening her. Nothing seemed to work. She was so focused, so _hell-bent_ on getting her way that she just wasn't going to let it go. She refused to see the truth, and he couldn't take it anymore.

"What's the matter, love?" she asked in a gentle voice. "I saw that boy with his old girlfriend. It must be so hard on you, knowing that he's chosen someone else." She sat down in her chair and smiled invitingly. "Why don't you come sit down and tell me all about it?"

Atemu just looked at her for a very long minute before he walked over and sat down. Vivian reached out, like she was going to try to put her hand on his arm, and he instinctively jerked away. "I think we should have some wine," he said, pretending like he was reaching for the bottle. Her frown deepened but she nodded, and he poured each of them about half a glass of wine. It was a red wine, a bottle that had always been one of his favourites, but which he knew that he would never drink again. He did not touch his glass.

Vivian, on the other hand, emptied her glass with several small but rapid sips. "I know you think that I wouldn't be good for Egypt, but I could be," she said.

"It's not just about that," Atemu said, though of course he didn't believe her for a second and that was, actually, a huge part of it. "Vivian, _I don't love you_. I don't know how many different ways I can say that before you'll understand. I don't even like being around you. There is no way I would ever marry you. Frankly the thought of spending even five minutes with you makes my flesh crawl, much less the rest of my life." He barely kept from shuddering at the thought. He thanked the gods on a regular basis that she had cheated on him in the first place, thereby giving him the opportunity to escape from her madness. It would have been so much worse if they had married and he'd only discovered what she was really like after the fact.

"But you told me once that it wasn't about love," she pressed, leaning forward. It caused the top of her dress to gape appealingly, showing off a good portion of her breasts. Atemu glanced away hastily. "You said that sometimes people had to make choices that they didn't really want to make, and that princes had to make those kinds of choices all the time..."

"I told you that when I wasn't sure my father would allow us to marry," Atemu said sharply. "That was before you cheated on me -"

"One mistake! I made one mistake and you're holding it against me!"

"It was not one mistake! Vivian, are you actually listening to yourself?" He shook his head in disbelief. "How can you say that and believe it? You've been stalking me for the past year. You've butted your way in where you don't belong. You kidnapped Yuugi, someone who had absolutely nothing to do with you, and then you paid someone to _torture him_ when you couldn't get your way. And then when my father banned you from Egypt, you just waited outside of the country for me to leave! Even though I repeatedly told you that I didn't want you around! Do you even realize how much trouble you would be in if I decided to involve the authorities? You would end up in prison for years."

Vivian was blinking rapidly. Her hands were trembling, he noticed, and it made him feel a vicious kind of satisfaction. He hoped that the truth was _finally_ sinking in. "The only reason that I haven't called them yet is because I've been trying to keep this under wraps. I didn't think that involving the press, and you know that they would get wind of this, would help. But if you don't leave me and Yuugi and Anzu alone..." He saw the way she jolted, and couldn't help smirking. "Yeah, that's right. I know all about your stupid plan to get Anzu to seduce Yuugi. It didn't work, by the way. They've been hamming it up for your benefit."

"Are you sure about that?" Vivian said. Her voice was hoarse, and she wouldn't look him in the eyes. "They looked pretty cosy."

"Well Yuugi is still wearing my ring, so..." He stood up, point made, and glared at her. "Seriously. Enough is enough. I'm tired of you - Vivian?" He jumped backwards with a startled cry when she suddenly slumped over. Her head hit the table with a soft, meaty sound before her body slid to the floor. Atemu stared at her, wondering what sort of new ploy this was, before he realized that she was strangely still. He moved around the table and crouched cautiously beside her, rolling her over.

She was dead.

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Please review!


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N:** This chapter came out so easily, it might be one of my favorites. Enjoy!

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Yuugi stood up as soon as Atemu started to walk away. He moved forward quickly, intercepting the waiter who had just knelt to pick up the folded square of paper that Atemu had left behind. "Excuse me, I think my friend dropped that," he said with a polite smile and an extended hand. "Could I have it so that I can give it back to him?"

"Oh," the waiter said, and it was clear that he didn't really want to just give Yuugi the paper, but he couldn't think of a good way to refuse. "Of course, sir. Here you are."

"Thank you." Yuugi turned back to the table, not surprised to find Anzu standing right beside him a second later. He unfolded the paper and looked at the word that was written there. His heart started to beat faster as soon as he read it. He looked up, meeting Anzu's eyes. He wanted to hurry into the back section of the restaurant to find Atemu immediately, but they'd agreed to give the prince at least a seven minute head start just in case Vivian waited a couple of minutes before she joined him. They didn't want to scare her away, but even knowing that Bakura, Mariku or Seto had to be stationed back there didn't make him feel any better.

"Yuugi," Anzu said softly, placing her hand on top of his wrist and giving him a light squeeze. "It will be okay. I don't think Vivian would do anything in a such a public place."

"You wouldn't think so," Yuugi replied, but he still allowed her to pull him over to the table. Anzu picked up her spoon and kept eating the rest of the chocolate mousse, but Yuugi had no appetite. It had been hard enough to force himself to eat his dinner, much less the overly rich dessert. He stared at his half-empty glass of wine, trying not to remember how Vivian had approached him at the beach. She'd accosted him in the middle of the parking lot where anyone could have seen. He didn't really think that being in public was something Vivian would worry very much about.

Anzu glanced over at him once or twice while they waited, but she seemed to sense that he wasn't in the mood to talk. The seconds seemed to tick by extremely slowly, and Yuugi jumped up the instant that the seven minutes were up. He walked as quickly as he dared towards the back, hoping that no one would be paying him any attention. He didn't even wait to see if Anzu was going to follow him or not. He'd been at the restaurant before, just once when his grandfather was celebrating with a team of his archeologist friends, so he had a fairly good idea of where the Aqua room would be.

But he was not prepared for what he would find inside. Yuugi stopped, speechless, at the sight of Atemu leaning over Vivian's body. Even from where he was standing at the door, Yuugi could tell that Vivian was not breathing. Atemu had gone completely white and he wasn't moving at all, just kept looking down at her with an awful expression on his face. "Oh my god," Yuugi said quietly.

Atemu jumped at the sound of his voice, knocking back against the table. Automatically he grabbed for the wine glasses when they started to tip over, steadying them with hands that shook. "Yuugi," he said, and Yuugi had never heard Atemu sound so _lost_.

"Holy shit," Anzu said from right behind Yuugi, and that jolted Yuugi into action. He stepped into the room and pulled Anzu in as well, intending to slam the door before anyone who was walking by got more of an eyeful than they were ready for. But before he could, Bakura stopped him with a firm hand against the door. The thief had appeared from nowhere, but that didn't make Yuugi any less relieved to see him. He moved aside as Bakura, Seto, and Mariku filed inside, and only then was the door shut.

It took him less than a minute to realize that Mariku was wearing a waiter's uniform, and to understand what it meant. "You...?" he said, baffled.

Mariku flashed him a smile that had far too many teeth. "Me and Bakura, actually," he said lightly, walking over to the table and taking one of the wine glasses from Atemu. He swirled the liquid left inside, breathing deeply. "Mmm, the fresh smell of poison!"

Atemu looked stricken. "You killed her?" And in spite of himself, Yuugi let out a small sigh of relief at the knowledge that Atemu hadn't known what was coming ahead of time.

"We had to, Atemu. You know that," Seto said quietly, looking his cousin in the eyes without flinching. "Vivian was never going to leave you alone. She was always going to be a hazard, and it's our duty to protect you. I'm sorry for not telling you ahead of time, but I wasn't sure that you would be able to act natural. We couldn't risk you letting her in on the fact that there was something in the wine."

"I just..." Atemu shook his head. "What if I had drunk it too?"

"I know that you were taught better than that," Bakura said. He was, Yuugi realized, dressed almost entirely in black. There was even a black hat tucked into his back pocket, something that could have easily covered his distinctively pale hair. "That bottle of wine was already open, and Vivian was alone in the room for almost ten minutes before you got here. You're smart enough to realize that she could have done something to it."

"That seems like an awful risk to take," Anzu said.

Bakura glared at her, apparently insulted by the implication that he might have done something to put Atemu in danger, and fortunately Mariku beat him to an answer. "Relax, Princess. Seto slipped our dear prince the antidote right before he came to the restaurant. It lasts for twenty-four hours and, while Atemu still would have had a reaction to the poison, it would've given him long enough to get to a hospital and medical help. We wouldn't put his life at risk like that."

"I can't believe you killed her," Yuugi said, looking down at Vivian. It was weird to see a dead body. He'd never seen one in real life before. Vivian might have looked like she was sleeping to someone else, but to Yuugi she didn't. There was just something a little bit off - maybe the slackness of her features, or the unnatural way her head was tilted. He shivered and made himself look away.

"It took a lot of planning," said Seto, still looking at Atemu. "We've set it up to look like a suicide."

"What? How?" Atemu demanded.

"Vivian's just crazy enough to have come up with a murder-suicide scenario," Bakura pointed out. "We've got documented proof that she's been stalking you, and if necessary your father and some members of her family will be able to back you up on that. Not to mention the stories Bandit Keith and his idiotic friends have been spewing to whoever will listen." He shrugged. "It's not beyond the realm of anyone's imagination to believe that she'd decide that if she couldn't have you, no one would be able to."

Mariku nodded. "Your side of the story is simple. After she asked you to meet her back here, you sat down thinking that you'd be able to talk to her - and she drank the wine thinking that you were, too. Only you didn't, because she passed out and died before you had the chance to."

Yuugi could see holes in the story - why, after so much planning, would Vivian drink the wine without having made absolutely sure that Atemu had as well? - but at the same time, he had to admit that it sounded plausible. "What happens if you get caught?" he asked.

"We won't get caught," Mariku said huffily.

"This has all been thoroughly planned out so that won't happen, Yuugi. Bakura was at Vivian's hotel room earlier and there was more than enough evidence already there to prove just how deeply her insanity ran," Seto told him. "We didn't even have to plant any, just remove a few key things we didn't want the police to find. She'd done most of the work for us. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that she hadn't come up with this on her own." He surveyed the room. "I suppose she must have believed that there was still some way to make Atemu want to be with her. I'm not sure I want to know what would have happened the day that Vivian finally reached the point when she realized the truth."

"Me either," Yuugi said with feeling, because he knew that Seto was right. This was exactly the sort of thing that Vivian would have done.

"But just to be certain, you two should leave." Seto looked at Bakura and Mariku. "I don't want anyone to remember seeing you around, understood? Go back to the hotel and wait there with the others."

Mariku saluted and grabbed Bakura's arm. As the two of them disappeared out the door, Atemu sat down hard in the nearest chair. His face was very pale. Yuugi moved over to him instinctively, vaguely noticing that Seto and Anzu had both left. He put his hand on Atemu's cheek, noting the clamminess of his skin. "Atemu? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I just... I've never seen anyone die before." Atemu sounded a little dazed. "It happened so fast, Yuugi. One minute she was sitting there telling me that what was going on between you and Anzu was real, and the next she was lying on the floor and she was _dead_."

"I'm sorry," Yuugi whispered. He didn't know what else to say. Vivian had been crazy and Atemu hated her, but there had once been a time when Atemu had loved her very much and he'd just watched her die. He took another step closer, neatly slotting himself between Atemu's spread thighs, and let Atemu cling to him. When Atemu buried his face in Yuugi's stomach, Yuugi just murmured soothing words to him and gently stroked his hair. And that's where they were when the police came.

**YY**

"Alright, I'd like you to go over the story one more time."

Atemu fought the urge to drop his head into his hands and groan. He'd already repeated his story word for word several times, and every time that he thought he might be finished someone would ask him to do it again 'just one more time'. He glanced over at the lawyer that Seto had hired. He didn't know the man personally, but "Dinosaur" Ryuzaki, so nicknamed because he apparently had the tendency to trample all over anyone who went up against him in the court room, was said to be one of Japan's top lawyers. It was no wonder that he was working for Kaiba Corp on a freelance basis.

"Go ahead," Ryuzaki said with a nod after a moment of careful consideration.

"I was out having dinner with two my friends," Atemu began wearily, looking up at the two officers. "Mutou Yuugi and Mazaki Anzu. I'm returning to Egypt soon, so I thought it would be good if the three of us had a nice meal."

"You said that you were the one who got up to leave first," said one of the officers, glancing at her notes. "Why was that?"

"I had to return to the hotel for a private call," Atemu replied. It didn't take a genius to know that it would be for the best if the police remained unaware of the real reason for the dinner - and why Atemu had been the first to leave. "Yuugi and Anzu were still eating dessert, so I suggested that they stay behind to finish up and then we could meet somewhere else later on. I was on my way to pay for the meal when a waiter stopped me and said that someone had given him a note that was meant for me."

"This is the note?" She held up a clear plastic bag. The note with Vivian's handwriting on it was inside. When Atemu nodded, she went on, "I have to admit that I find it extremely unusual that you would go to the Aqua Room. Didn't you recognize Miss Wong's handwriting?"

"No. It's not like Vivian and I regularly wrote notes to each other."

"And you saw nothing strange about an unexpected note? You didn't stop to think that there might be danger waiting for you, the crowned prince of Egypt?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Look, I admit it wasn't my smartest decision. And when I saw who was there in the room, I should have just left," Atemu said tensely. "But Vivian was - she was just so determined that she was going to make things happen between us, and I thought..." He shook his head slowly. "I thought that I should try to explain to her one more time that it was never going to happen. I didn't love her that way anymore."

"How did she respond to that?" the other officer asked.

Atemu shrugged. "Usually she gets angry, but this time she was acting weird. She tried to make it sound like I was the one who was in the wrong because I was holding the fact that she cheated on me against her." He paused, and this time it wasn't just for show. Things had happened so quickly that he was having a little trouble remembering exactly what he and Vivian had said. "She said that sometimes people had to make choices that they didn't really want to make."

The two officers exchanged looks at that, and Atemu felt a little flash of victory. "I was getting frustrated at that point, so I decided to pour us some of the wine. I thought it might take the edge of."

"The bottle of wine, was it open already?"

"Yes." Although it had been Mariku who opened it, not Vivian. "I remember that it was because I didn't have to open it, although there was a corkscrew on the table. I poured some into Vivian's glass and then I gave some to myself, though I made sure not to fill them all the way. I didn't think getting drunk would help."

"You poured yourself wine, but you didn't drink any. Why is that?" the male officer asked.

"It only occurred to me after I'd filled my glass that Vivian had been alone in the room with the open bottle of wine," Atemu said quietly. He made sure to look them both in the eyes as he added, "I didn't actually think that she would have done anything to the wine, especially after she started drinking it, but one of the first things my father taught me was to be very careful about who I accepted drinks from. Vivian is not someone that I trust." He swallowed hard, amending, "trusted."

"And what happened after she drank the wine?"

He had to bite back the instinctive response that wanted to come out, which was a very snippy what do you_ think_ happened? Instead, he said, "We were talking and she seemed to be fine... But then all of a sudden she just fell over. I didn't know what she was doing, but when she didn't get back up I went over to her and she was, she was_ dead_." His mouth was a little dry and he stopped speaking.

"Alright," Ryuzaki said. "I think we've had enough questioning."

"Just one more question," the male officer said, holding up a hand to stop them from leaving. "What happened after that?"

"I... I guess I must have dropped the note the waiter gave me and my friends picked it up, because Yuugi and Anzu came in. I think Anzu went to go get help, and she must have called my cousin. I'm not sure. It's all a blur after that." That wasn't actually a lie. He knew that Bakura and Mariku had been there as well, but the exact nature of the conversation was lost on him. His memory grew hazy right up until Yuugi had hugged him, and he remember basking in that feeling of safety while they waited. He wished Yuugi was there with him now.

"On that note, my client and I will be leaving." Ryuzaki stood up and placed a hand on Atemu's shoulder. "You've been given our contact information, so if you have any further questions you know where to find us. But right now my client is exhausted and has just been through a traumatizing ordeal."

"Right, of course," the woman officer said, but she didn't sound too happy. She escorted the two of them out through the maze of hallways until they were back in the front room. Atemu was so relieved to see Seto standing there waiting for him that he could have cried. Seto walked over to them immediately, and while he didn't touch Atemu he did move around behind him so that Atemu was effectively hidden from the view of the officers while he ushered Atemu outside.

"Are you okay?" he asked urgently as soon as the door had closed.

"I'm fine," Atemu said, his throat tight. The cold, early morning air felt nice on his face, but it just made him realize how tired he was.

Seto studied him for a minute before he nodded. "We're going to take you to Yuugi," he promised, and honestly those were the only words that Atemu needed to hear. He let Seto bundle him into the car without complaint. Ryuzaki joined them a couple of minutes later, and he and Seto started talking in low tones. Atemu didn't even bother to try and listen. He just leaned his head against his cousin's shoulder and closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would take him away.

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Please review!


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N:** Alright, we're definitely getting down to the wire - almost done. Enjoy!

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Bakura looked like a ghost. Or rather, like a shadow. He was dressed entirely in black from head to toe, and he'd tucked his hair underneath a hat so thoroughly that not a single silvery strand could be seen. He had a fresh pair of gloves and a new set of shoes in a plastic bag, both of which he wouldn't put on until he was ready to get out of the car. Ryou was sitting on the bed in Malik's bedroom, watching him fuss with the hat, and there must have been something on his face that expressed what he was thinking because Bakura glanced at him in the mirror before turning around.

"You knew this was a possibility," he said, sounding impossibly calm.

"Yeah, I knew," Ryou said, running a hand through his hair. Bakura had never tried to hide what he did. He'd been upfront from the very beginning that this wasn't just his job, it was _him_. This was what he did. He knew that Bakura was worried that Ryou was going to suddenly change his mind about being okay with it, even if the other man would never actually admit it. He took a deep breath and stood up. "I'm not going to tell you not to do it, Bakura. I know that this is... this is what you _do_."

For a long moment, Bakura just looked at him. "So if I told you that I was the one who was going to put the poison in Vivian's wine, it wouldn't bother you?"

"Of course it would bother me. I don't like to think about you being in danger, and that's exactly where you would be. No matter how good you are, there's always the risk you could be caught," Ryou replied. "And yes, okay, I'm not thrilled that you guys are going to kill someone tonight. But you're doing it legally. Sort of. And Vivian isn't exactly..." He shrugged, not sure how to put his thoughts into understandable words. "It's never right for anyone to play god, but at least your target is someone who deserves it."

The way the tension drained out of Bakura's body would have been imperceptible if Ryou hadn't known him so well. "It's not going to be me," he said, looking Ryou in the eyes. "I offered, but Seto thought that Mariku would be better at it. He has more experience with blending in with crowds than I do. He's going to pretend to be a waiter, so that will give him access to the kitchen where the wine is stored."

Ryou had to admit, it was a bit of a relief to hear that Bakura wouldn't actually be the one who was poisoning the wine. "So what are you going to do, then? What's all this for?"

"I'm going over to Vivian's hotel," Bakura explained. "I need to examine her room and make sure that there's nothing around that might make the police want to look deeper into things. If necessary, I'm going to plant some evidence. But I doubt it will be. Vivian's been obsessed with Atemu for so long that I bet she'll have a bulletin board covered with pictures of him."

Ryou bit his lip in an effort not to laugh. "I bet she'll have a giant picture of him over the bed so that Atemu is the last thing she sees before she goes to sleep and the first thing she sees when she wakes up in the morning." The look on Bakura's face was priceless, and he couldn't help laughing even though he knew it was mean. He stepped closer to Bakura and slipped his arms around Bakura's waist. "I can come with you if you want," he teased. "Protect you from the crazy lady."

"As much as I'd like you to come along, you can't. There's too much of a chance that you might leave something behind. You're not trained in this, and the police will be going over Vivian's hotel room very carefully for any evidence of foul play." He paused and gave Ryou a speculative glance. "But I could, you know. Teach you how to be a thief. If you wanted."

The offer surprised Ryou. It was not something he had ever stopped to consider, certainly not an offer he had been expecting Bakura to make, but it was definitely something that intrigued him. He knew that Bakura had been the undisputed King of Thieves, so it was quite an honor: he definitely wouldn't be able to find anyone else who could teach him better, that was for certain. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. "Will that make me the Prince of Thieves?" he asked coyly.

Bakura smirked and kissed him roughly as a response. Ryou licked his lips and grinned as his lover left the room and snagged Mariku on the way out. As the two of them departed, he walked out into the living room and settled down on the sofa beside Malik. Isis had left the apartment for the night, saying only that she was willing to spend some time with friends so that it wasn't necessary for them to rent a hotel room. Seto had been grateful for the offer, and Ryou knew why. It felt much safer at the Ishtar apartment than at any hotel. Isis had worked hard to make the place a comfy home, and it showed.

Malik had the television turned on to some channel with a reality show about chefs, but he wasn't really watching it. He kept fidgeting. Finally, he said, "You know where they're going, right?"

"Yeah, I do," Ryou said, not taking his eyes off of the show. It was easier to talk when he didn't have to look right at Malik. He knew that Jou had gone off with Seto - mostly because he'd thrown a fit over the possibility of being left behind - and a part of him wished that he and Malik could have gone too. Jou was just going to wait around until Yuugi and Anzu came out of the restaurant, and Ryou could have done that too. But at the same time, he was glad that he'd agreed to wait at the apartment. At the very least, it meant he and Malik could provide an alibi if that turned out to be necessary.

"Does it bother you?" Malik asked.

"Should it?"

"_Ryou_."

"Okay, okay. Yes it bothers me a little bit. I mean, they're going to _kill_ someone and I was always taught that was wrong, same as anyone else. But..." Ryou trailed off and shrugged helplessly. "I knew this about Bakura when I started dating him. To come down on him now because of it seems a little hypocritical. And I... Vivian's such a... she just won't leave Atemu and Yuugi alone! It scares me to think about what she might do to them in the future if she gets to keep doing whatever she wants."

"Me too," Malik said quietly after it became clear that Ryou was finished talking. "Mariku told me exactly what he's planning to do, what kind of poison he's going to use, how much. He even told me how he's going to slip the antidote into Atemu's food, just in case Atemu is stupid enough to drink the wine."

"You don't exactly sound disturbed," Ryou noted. If anything, Malik actually sounded kind of excited.

Malik smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "I - I know that killing isn't right, but... where I grew up, it wasn't exactly unheard of. I can think of at least two members of my clan who were punished for their actions with death. The way I see it, Vivian did something wrong and now she has to accept the consequences. It sucks that they have to be the ones who do it, but if it keeps her from doing anything even crazier than what she already has then that's just the way it has to be."

Ryou wasn't sure how to respond to that. Malik rarely spoke about his childhood, and when he did it was never about something this serious. In the end, he just sighed and leaned back against the couch. "I just hope that it goes okay, that's all. If Bakura gets caught, I am going to mock him mercilessly."

Grinning, Malik turned the sound on the show back up and they ended up spending a restless few hours watching television. It seemed to take ages before there was a knock on the door, and then it opened to reveal Bakura, Mariku and Yuugi. Ryou sat up straight, examining his friends and boyfriend closely. Yuugi looked exhausted, he thought, but also relieved. Bakura and Mariku, on the other hand, just looked normal. He never would have guessed that they had just spent the night carrying out a plot to kill someone and then making it look like she'd done it to herself.

"How did it go?" Malik blurted, standing up just in time to be the recipient of Mariku's rather heated embrace and kiss.

Bakura answered. "It went fine."

"Just fine?" Ryou raised an eyebrow.

"I think the police fell for it," Yuugi said. He slipped his dinner jacket off and left it on the back of the chair. "All they asked me was about Atemu's history with Vivian and why Anzu and I had followed him into the back room. Seto was with me the whole time, and like he told me I just gave them as little detail as possible." He shrugged. "When I left the station, there were a couple of officers standing out front talking about how crazy rich people can be."

"How is Atemu?" Ryou asked.

"I'm not sure." Yuugi bit his lip, looking worried. "He seemed to be pretty out of it when the police took him away for questioning. I think he was in shock."

"He's never seen anyone killed before," Mariku said.

"First time for everything, I guess," Yuugi muttered, sharing a look with Ryou. Mariku sounded a little disgusted that Atemu had never been exposed to that, but it was actually reassuring to hear that the prince of Egypt really didn't make this a regular thing.

"So what now?" Malik asked.

"We wait," Bakura said, walking down the hall into Malik's bedroom. The door shut behind him, and Ryou sighed. He shot the others an apologetic look and followed, relieved to find that the door wasn't locked. He could have picked it even if it was - that was one of the first things Bakura had showed him while they were in Egypt - but the fact that it was unlocked meant that Bakura _wanted_ his company.

"Are you okay?" he asked, closing the door once he was inside.

"I'm fine. It's not like my part was hard."

"Did you end up having to plant any evidence?"

"No."

These short answers were driving Ryou nuts, but he tried to keep his composure. "So there was enough already there for the police to buy it, then?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god," Ryou said, utterly exasperated. His frustration only grew when Bakura smirked. "Stop teasing me, you jerk. You know I hate it when you do that. Tell me _details_, Bakura!"

Bakura snickered but obliged. "Fine. It was easy to get into her hotel room. Those places all have the same sort of lock, and once you know how to bypass them it's simple. You could tell that she was there by herself, because she didn't have any guards. Not even an adjoining room. There was no bulletin board or picture of Atemu on the ceiling, but she did have a pretty thorough copy of Atemu's schedules. I'm not sure where she got them from. There might be a leak in the palace somewhere. Seto will have to investigate that. She also had a copy of Atemu's room key, so that explains how she got into his hotel room."

"Creepy," Ryou muttered, wrinkling his nose. Stalkers were so_ weird_. He crossed the room, watching as Bakura started to strip off his clothing. He already knew that later on, they would take the clothing he and Mariku had been wearing to someplace private and burn them to get rid of the evidence. "What else?"

"She did have pictures of the two of them. A lot of them, actually, all over the room. Most of them were from when she and Atemu were actually dating, but there were a couple from recently that I know are fake. It looked like she'd photoshopped pictures of her and Atemu together. The evidence was on her laptop." He grimaced. "She also had advance copies of the recordings from the show. I have no idea how she got those." Bakura shook his head. "Honestly, Ryou, I didn't look at everything. Just a few minutes in the room told me that there was more than enough to convince the police that she was obsessed."

And it was bothering him, Ryou realized, a lot more than Bakura wanted to let on. He glanced over at the door. Originally he'd intended to wait up until Atemu got back because he wanted to make sure that everything was okay, but it wasn't very often that he knew Bakura needed him. He turned back and smiled. "Malik said we could sleep in here tonight. Why don't we get into bed?" He reached out and grazed his fingers up Bakura's arm.

"I doubt that's what Malik meant by sleep," Bakura said, though he looked intrigued.

"He'll get over it." Ryou pulled his shirt over his head and let it drop to the ground. "Unless you're not interested -" He let out a giggle as Bakura gripped him around the waist and shoved him down on the bed.

**YY**

Yuugi ended up waiting for Atemu and Seto by himself. He knew that Jou had gone to take Anzu home, and once he'd found out that Anzu's parents were away for the night he'd agreed to stay with Anzu to make sure that she was okay. Malik and Mariku retired into Isis's bedroom just after midnight, which left Yuugi watching the television with the sound turned up as high as he dared. But the low sound didn't really matter because he wasn't really watching it. He was more focused on thinking about Atemu and Vivian anyway.

It was well after two in the morning before Atemu and Seto returned. Yuugi jumped up when he saw them, his worry only increasing when he saw how exhausted Atemu looked. Seto had an arm around his cousin's waist, helping him to walk, and he looked relieved to be able to pass Atemu into Yuugi's waiting arms. "Everything alright?" he asked in a low tone.

"Yeah," Yuugi said with a smile. Atemu leaned against him, hands braced on Yuugi's shoulders. "I think so. Bakura and Ryou are sleeping, I think. Mariku said he would stay awake and keep watch, but -"

Seto snorted. "He probably fell asleep the second he laid down. Both he and Bakura have been awake for a while."

"You look like you've been up for a while, too," Yuugi pointed out. "Jou was staying over at Anzu's house tonight. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you joined them."

"I can't. I have work to do," said Seto. "I just came to deliver your package." He turned towards the door. "Make sure you lock it once I'm gone, and don't open it for anyone except me and Jou. I'll call you beforehand to let you know that we're coming, so if we just show up don't let us in. Especially if someone else is with us."

"I won't." He was sort of tempted to tease Seto about the precautions, but he didn't. He knew how necessary they were, and that Seto was only trying to protect them. He gently set Atemu down on the couch and locked the door, taking a moment to be glad about just how many locks Isis had had installed on the door, before he went back to the couch. Atemu was leaning back with his eyes shut, and he was either already asleep or close to it. Yuugi quietly knelt down in front of him and started unlacing his shoes.

"Aibou?" Atemu murmured.

Yuugi paused in the middle of pulling off one of those shoes. The immediate warmth in his cheeks told him that he was blushing. Atemu hadn't called him that for a long time. He'd missed hearing it. He set the shoe aside and sat back on his heels. "I'm right here, Atemu."

Atemu finally opened his eyes and looked down at him. "Yes, you are," he said softly, and there was so much love in his expression that Yuugi felt himself blushing even harder. Atemu lifted his hand and held it out, the invitation plain for anyone to see. But when Yuugi didn't reach for his hand right away, he didn't try to push it. He just left his hand there and waited.

And Yuugi knew, he just _knew_, that if he took Atemu's hand it would mean so much more. It would mean wanting to work things out, whatever that might take. It would mean agreeing to go back to Egypt with Atemu. It would mean a permanent change that would affect the rest of his life. He looked at that hand for a long time, but he knew there wasn't really anything else to think about. This gorgeous, amazing man wanted Yuugi in his life. Atemu had already made that decision, and no matter what happened he wasn't going to change his mind. He'd already made that clear. All that was left was for Yuugi to say yes.

For the first time, Yuugi let go of all of his fears and uncertainties and let himself think about how much he wanted that. This. He wanted to be with Atemu no matter what entailed, no matter what they had to go through, even if it meant that he had to get married next week. There was just no getting around it.

He smiled shyly and reached up, taking Atemu's hand.

* * *

Please review!


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N:** Last chapter guys, can't you believe it? Longer author's notes at the bottom, as always. Enjoy!

* * *

When Yuugi's phone beeped to alert him of an incoming text message the second he switched it back on after the landing, he looked down automatically. He was expecting to see a message from Sugoroku, and he wasn't really sure he wanted to read it: it had been hard enough to say good-bye to his grandfather as it was. Instead, he saw that it was a picture message. The picture was of the back of a girl's hand, tilted just enough to be able to show off the ring adorning her ring finger without the light distorting the flash.

Yuugi recognized that ring even though he had really only seen it once, months ago when a very excited woman had been shoving it into his face. He smiled to himself and locked his phone without responding. He knew that the message meant that Anzu and Otogi had worked things out, at least temporarily, and he was pleased that Anzu had taken his advice about talking to Otogi. He fully suspected, though he'd not said as much to Anzu, that he would see their joint name up in lights someday.

As he glanced up, he caught Atemu looking away and concealed a sigh. It was what he deserved considering that he had second guessed his decision ever since he made it, even during most of the flight itself. Now that he was here it was too late to go back. Not that he could have said no to Atemu's puppy eyes anyway; the prince had been keeping a close eye on him from the moment that they'd left the game shop for the last time and started for the airport. Yuugi had the feeling that Atemu was worried he might change his mind after all.

But he wouldn't. No matter what challenges they faced, as hard as it had been to say good-bye to his grandfather, he knew this was where he wanted to be. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as the light switched off, letting them know that their seatbelts could be taken off. "I have to say, that was a much better ride to Egypt than last time," he joked, smiling at Atemu as he took the belt off.

"I should hope so," Atemu said. He hadn't quite reached the point where he could see humor in anything Vivian had said or did. Yuugi figured he probably never would. Even though the police had accepted their story about Vivian with very little fanfare and the investigation had officially been closed, Atemu had remained jumpy for days afterwards. It was like he still thought that Vivian might suddenly appear, or that someone might stumble onto some random clue that would let them know she'd been murdered. It would be good for him, being back in Egypt where he could finally start to relax a little.

"What, you mean you don't like being trussed up like a chicken?" Jou said with a grin, ruffling Yuugi's hair as he sauntered past and ignoring the indignant yelp he got in response.

"Seto, control your puppy!" Yuugi whined.

"Hey!" Jou protested.

Seto just smirked and reached out to link a strong arm around Jou's waist, effectively reeling him in. "Yes, Yuugi."

"Seto!"

"I have to do as my queen commands, pup."

"Seto!" Yuugi squeaked, scandalized, his face flushing a deep pink. Seto, Jou, Mariku, Bakura, Malik and Ryou all took one look at him and burst out laughing. Even Atemu was grinning, and that took the edge off of Yuugi's ire. It bothered him a little bit that the whole 'queen' thing had spread so easily through their group - it was definitely not the sort of thing that he wanted going any further - but if that's what it took to make Atemu smile again he wasn't going to complain too much.

Their group slowly left the plane, assembling on the ground. His amusement gone, Ryou looked like he was half asleep, leaning heavily against Bakura. Bakura had a hand supporting him while he flicked through his cell phone with the other. Seto was staring at his phone, too, and Jou was covertly eyeing the snack shop. It was nothing new to them, of course. Malik, on the other hand, looked like he was going to pop with excitement. He was clinging to Mariku's arm while his head whipped in all directions, trying to see everything at once. Mariku was just watching his lover with an openly indulgent smile, too pleased that Malik was there to bother trying to tame him.

Yuugi wasn't sure how to feel. He could feel his breath catching in his throat as his feet made contact with the floor and he took a few steps away from the plane. His first introduction to Egypt had been less than stellar, but he really wanted to be able to put it behind him. He wanted to be able to feel the way he used to about the land, like it was a magical and fascinating place with an intriguing culture that he wanted to know everything about. He wanted to love the country that Atemu so clearly adored.

But just looking at the surroundings was making his throat feel tight. And when he saw the car that was waiting to pick them up, he knew he couldn't do it. It was black with tinted windows, almost an identical make and model to the one that Vivian had used. He stopped short, and, when Jou looked back at him curiously, said, "I-I forgot something on the plane. I'll be right back."

He turned around and darted back inside of the building before anyone could speak. The plane was empty by now, the flight attendant and pilot having gotten off once the passengers disembarked, and Yuugi sank down into the first seat he came across and buried his face in his hands. He was trembling all over and he hated it, the way his breath came in faint, harsh gasps that he couldn't control. It was mortifying. No one else was having any problems, not even Malik who had once sworn he'd never come back.

"You're fine," he muttered to himself, trying to ignore what felt like a gradual tightening in his chest. It felt like there wasn't enough air, even though that was stupid because there was. "You're fine, you're absolutely fine. Bandit Keith is in jail and Vivian is dead and there is no one left to do anything. Egypt is a wonderful place and you don't have to be so damn scared. Knock it off, this is ridiculous." He closed his eyes tightly, knowing that no matter what he said it was not going to work.

"Yuugi?" Atemu's concerned voice made him jump before he curled up into an even tighter ball. He prayed that he'd actually misheard, that it would be anyone else aside from Atemu. He didn't want the prince to see him like this, out of control and on the verge of tears because he was being so weak.

"Go away," he rasped, trembling even harder. The effort it took force the words out left him gasping.

Atemu didn't say a word, but he also didn't obey. That was the stubborn prince side of him, Yuugi thought ruefully, right before he was - literally - swept into the air. Atemu sat down right where Yuugi had just been sitting and then set Yuugi in his lap, wrapping his arms securely around Yuugi's waist. His back was pressed securely into Atemu's chest as the man whispered, "That's right, Aibou. I want you to take slow, deep breaths at the same time that I do. Inhale... exhale. Inhale... exhale. Inhale... exhale."

The steady movement of Atemu's chest gave him something to focus on, and gradually his pounding heart started to slow down and he was able to take deeper breaths. It left him feeling shaky and weak, so he was almost glad for the firm grip around his waist that kept him from trying to do something stupid, like get up before he was ready. He ducked his head and kept taking in the slow breaths, knowing that his face was bright red. He hadn't had a panic attack like that for quite some time. They'd occurred fairly often his first month back in Japan, usually after he woke up from a nightmare. It had gotten to the point where Sugoroku had taken him to the doctor and he'd been given some medication to control them.

He supposed that he should have realized that the sight of Egypt might make another attack come on, but he'd been so caught up in worrying about everything else that it just hadn't dawned on him. "I'm sorry," he mumbled after a couple of minutes had gone by.

"For what?"

"For this." Yuugi closed his eyes in misery, wishing that he'd done a better job of pretending that everything was fine. No one except for his grandfather had known about this until now, and to know that it was Atemu who had found out was almost unbearable. "I know you were excited about coming back and being able to show your father that you'd chosen someone who would be good for you and Egypt, and -"

"Yuugi, stop right there. If you're about to say what I think you were going to say, I don't want to hear it. There's nothing wrong with you having a panic attack because we're back in Egypt. In fact, I'm a little mad at myself for not having realized that this might happen." Atemu sighed, his arms tightening briefly in a comforting squeeze. "When I think about everything that Vivian put you through... it amazes me that you were even willing to get on the plane. So stop beating yourself up about this, understand?"

Yuugi took a deep breath. Held it. Let it out slowly. Only then did he try to respond. "But -"

"No buts, I mean it. You didn't say anything to me after Vivian, did you? We were sleeping in the same bed, so I know that you knew I was waking up from nightmares. But you never said a word to me about it. You just held me in your arms until I was able to fall back asleep no matter how many times I woke you up."

"That was different!"

"Not really. We both went through something that was traumatizing. And really, as far as I'm concerned, you have a lot more reason to be upset than I do. I was never in any real danger. I knew that Bakura, Mariku and Seto were going to be there the whole time. Besides, I'm going to be the pharaoh someday. It will be a part of my job to sentence criminals to death." Atemu sounded subdued as he spoke, and it wasn't too hard to imagine that this side of his job didn't thrill him, but his firm grip on Yuugi never wavered. "Yuugi, I would _never_ fault for you for having this kind of reaction. You're my partner, and to me that means you can share anything with me no matter how weak you think it makes you look."

"Atemu... I... I thought that..."

"That I'd be unhappy or ashamed of you for having this kind of reaction?" Finally, Atemu let Yuugi squirm around until they were facing each other. The expression on his face was very serious. "Yuugi, you are one of the strongest people that I know. I thank the gods every day that I made the choice to go on that stupid show in the first place, even though it ultimately caused you and your friends a lot of time and suffering. I'm sorry for everything that Vivian did, but there has never been any doubt in my mind that I made the right choice when I gave you my ring and I am not going to change my mind now that I finally have you here."

The ring. Yuugi glanced down automatically. He was still wearing it, though it was now on his finger, and just the sight of it helped to calm his still racing heart. As the last vestiges of panic finally drained away, he leaned heavily against Atemu. He'd spent so long hating himself for having these panic attacks that it was hard to believe that maybe it was okay, it was natural, and he wasn't letting anyone down by having them. "I just feel like I'm letting her win," he said into Atemu's shoulders, his words muffled.

"I know. I feel the same way when I wake up at night," Atemu said quietly. "But you're not. By coming here, you're doing the exact opposite. Vivian would have hated knowing that you'd found the strength to come here. I can tell you with complete confidence that it would have driven her mad. I think that part of her knew that she and I would never get back together, but she just couldn't let the idea of you and me being together go."

"So is that why you chose me?" Yuugi asked, grinning.

"What? Yuugi, no! Of course not! Why would you -" The flood of protests came to a sudden stop when Atemu realized that Yuugi was shaking against him from laughter. He let out a mock huff of exasperation. "If you're feeling well enough to tease me, then I'm going to guess that you're feeling well enough to leave."

It was meant as a teasing remark, but Yuugi knew Atemu well enough to recognize the question that he'd just been asked. If he wasn't ready, Atemu wouldn't push him - but it probably wasn't just for Yuugi's sake, either. Atemu had been nervous about introducing Yuugi to his father from the moment that the plane left Domino City. He was worried that Aknamkanon would immediately start asking questions about a wedding, questions that neither of them were prepared to answer. Atemu was perfectly willing to put that meeting off for as long as possible. That was ultimately what made Yuugi straighten up.

"No, I'm ready," he said with a sigh. "Atemu, we can't hide in here forever. It's a miracle that one of the others hasn't come to find out what's taking us so long."

"I told them to stay away," Atemu said. He paused for a second, then rolled his eyes. "You're right, it _is_ a miracle that they haven't come on board yet. Seto must have figured out a way to distract them."

Yuugi had to grin. For all that Atemu might have been the prince, it was blatantly obvious that Seto was often the one who was in charge. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly. He really wanted to know. They hadn't talked about what they were going to tell Aknamkanon, and really they probably should have. This would be their last chance.

"I don't know," Atemu said honestly. "I really don't, I - Yuugi, you know what my father has been asking of me for the past year. He's made it abundantly clear that he wants me to be married in the very near future. After I met you he backed off a little, but lately he's getting worse than ever." He looked Yuugi in the eyes. "You are the one I want to marry, but I don't want us to feel rushed into this."

It was way too late for that, and Yuugi didn't have to bother pointing that out because he knew that Atemu was already aware of it. Their whole relationship had been shadowed by the knowledge that Egypt needed its prince to have a partner. And Yuugi wanted to be that partner, make no mistakes about it. It had taken him a long time to be able to admit that, even if it was only to himself. He took a deep breath. Maybe it was time to admit it to someone else, too, someone who probably needed to hear it more than Yuugi could ever know. "Well, if I'm really the one that you want to marry then maybe you should ask me."

The look on Atemu's face when he fully processed what Yuugi had said was priceless. His jaw actually dropped, and he leaned back against the uncomfortable seat in disbelief. Yuugi merely smiled, thoroughly enjoying the moment. It wasn't very often that he surprised Atemu to the point where the prince was legitimately speechless. It was a good feeling. He waited patiently for Atemu to collect himself, trying to pretend that his heart wasn't pounding again for a whole different reasons this time. Tiny doubts were trying to work their way into his mind - what if Atemu didn't want to ask? and oh god, after this there would really be no changing his mind - but he forcefully pushed them aside as best he could.

Finally, Atemu blinked slowly and said, "What."

"You heard me. Atemu, I know your father wants you to get married. I can appreciate that he wants you to have someone by your side who will adore Egypt as much as you do. And after getting to know Vivian, I can even understand why he wouldn't want to hand everything over to you until you've found that person. He's probably afraid you might end up with another one of her." Yuugi held his hand up when Atemu went to protest. "But. If you're engaged, then that's the next best thing and he might be willing to accept that as a compromise. We'll _make_ him accept it as a compromise. We could have a long engagement and marry later."

"Yuugi, I told you. I don't want you to feel like you _have_ to do this."

"I know, and believe me if I didn't want to be here I wouldn't be," Yuugi said as firmly as possible. "You made it very clear to me that I didn't have to come back to Egypt with you if I didn't want to, and I appreciate that more than you could realize. I want to be with you, Atemu, and I want to do this for you. More importantly, I want to do this for_ us_." He put his hand on top of Atemu's and squeezed. "If this is what you truly want, then ask."

Atemu stared at him for a moment longer before a determined expression flashed across his face. He urged Yuugi to stand and got to his feet, then knelt down smoothly. Yuugi swore that his heart actually skipped a beat when he found the prince of Egypt looking up at him. Even though he had been the one to suggest it, he still hadn't quite believed that Atemu would actually do it, that he really wanted Yuugi this much. And now they were here and it was all he could do to keep from losing it completely. He let Atemu take his hand, hoping that Atemu wouldn't notice that his palm was sweaty, and listened to the prince speak in awe-struck silence.

"My little one, my Aibou, from the moment I met you I knew that you were different from anyone that I'd ever met before. It wasn't just because I was pretending to be a normal guy, either. I know now that you would have treated me exactly the same regardless of whether you knew about my heritage, and that means a lot to me. I know you will do right by my country." Atemu's eyes never left Yuugi's. "Yuugi, being away from you was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. The whole time I was in Egypt without you, I felt like something was missing. There were so many things I wanted to share with you, and knowing that you might never be there for that to happen was a constant source of pain that I failed to hide even though I tried. It made me even more convinced that I want to have a future with you. I know that you will be a wonderful Queen, and... and that I love you. I love you so much." For the first time, his anxiety was clearly visible as he stuttered over his words. "I know I don't have a ring for you because I wasn't ready, but... will you... will you marry me?"

Oh my god, Yuugi thought. He'd expected to feel scared or nervous when he heard those words, but all he felt was a deep sense of _right_. A brilliant smile spread across his face. "Yes, I will."

Crimson eyes lit up with joy, and Atemu sprang to his feet and scooped Yuugi up into a fierce hug. Yuugi laughed out loud as his feet left the ground, knowing that he could only wrap his arms around Atemu's shoulders and hold on. He felt light and tingly and _happy_ and it was made all the better by knowing that Atemu felt the same way. He looked down into Atemu's sparkling eyes and grinned as their lips met in a gentle kiss. For the first time in a very long time, he knew that things were going to be okay.

* * *

**A/N:** I feel like you should know I made myself squeal during that last scene! Looking back on this story, it was a difficult write - keeping magic out of a fandom that's built around it is _hard_ - and it didn't help that I went completely off the plan I'd sketched out for it at some point. Fun fact: I'd change the title if I could. I realized about halfway through that I really should have called it _The Prince and Me_, but by then it was too late. I hate figuring out the perfect title for something after the fact!

Thank you so much to my readers who stuck with me and faithfully reviewed, who took a chance on a non-magic AU that was probably too much like a soap opera for our good, seriously. As for what's next, well, you may(?) be pleased to know that in about a week or so I'll have a new Yu-Gi-Oh story coming out. It'll be called _Remind Me Again _and the summary is as follows:

Yuugi thought everything would be okay after Yami departed to the afterlife, and for a little while it was. But then he woke up one morning and found out that no one except for the 3 hikaris remembers the Shadow Realm or the Millennium Items. It's like they never existed. Now Yuugi's been sectioned, Ryou is being hunted, and Malik is seeing shadows everywhere. Nothing is what it seems when the past _literally_ comes back for revenge.

So yeah. If interested, please follow me so you'll know when it's posted or keep an eye out. Until the next one, darlings!


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